Flowers, Flowers, Everywhere

Galicia is gorgeous, bathed in another sunny day with birds singing and new leaves a brilliant green.
As usual when I go into town to shop I have a look in the bins outside for anything useful. My commonest prize is tons of cardboard boxes, perfect for weed suppression under trees shrubs and on the veggie beds. Covered in compost or manure it can't be beaten. Occasionally there is expired food, all perfectly good and I trust my nose and eyes when deciding if it is suitable for eating. Today there were Gerbera flowers thrown out by the florist, enough for two vases. They look beautiful. As a society we produce far too much waste.

All over the garden flowers are in bloom and bees and hoverflies are hard at work.

The Aquilegia flowers continue to delight me as they take so many different sizes, shapes and colours. 

The Iris are also very beautiful. 

The new rose my daughter bought me is called Double Delight and it has the most amazing scent which perfumes the whole area and it too is blooming prolifically considering that we planted it just a month ago.

Finally the three turkeys have arrived and are enjoying their idyllic orchard, drinking from their pool, dust-bathing under the camellia trees and exploring the grass which is above their heads. They are bronze turkeys which are destined for the Xmas dinner table so they will not be named as I find it easier that way.

Hope Springs Eternal

“Hope springs eternal in the human breast; 

Man never Is, but always To be blest. 

The soul, uneasy, and confin'd from home, 

Rests and expatiates in a life to come.”

― Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man

Gardeners are always full of hope in the face of adversity. Yesterday the big dog decided to destroy my kiwi Issai which is at the foot of a pear tree by our back door. I had been admiring its growth this spring, as it was finally looking well established. I have not found them growing in Galicia and Tim had brought it over from the UK in his suitcase 18 months ago. All that remains is a stump with a single branch on it. In the spirit of hope I put the scattered pieces in a jam jar of water and this morning I have trimmed them and planted them in compost. Perhaps something good will come of it if some of them grow.

Every time a seed or tree is planted there is the hope that beauty and food will result rather than it providing a feast for the numerous beasties and diseases that are also struggling for life. Planting walnuts and monkey puzzle trees are a long term hope from which future grandchildren will benefit. I garden organically and expect to loose some plants so I try to plant more than I think I will need. This year will be the year of the Squash. I have Lady Godiva for the edible seeds, Greek, Zapallito de Toscana, Candystick Desert Delicata, yellow Patty pan and some courgettes Black Knight. I hope to seed save from them all and keep many into winter.

The blossoming and flowering season continues. chive, sage, chervil are all in bloom. The aquilegia which I grew from seed are flowering for the first time. Our first apricot has set on one of our trees. I hope it will make it to maturity and no doubt I will have a special ceremony when we taste it for the first time. Cherries have also set but I shall be in competition with the birds for those.

The first of the day lilies is also in bloom. These are grown for their beauty and also to eat, as the flowers are delicious and we have several strains. Yesterday was also the first BBQ at my friends house which was a wonderful gathering as the sun blazed down. I took my dogs as did others and it was as much a dog social gathering as a people party. This morning the dogs remain exhausted after all of the playing so hopefully no more plants will be destroyed for a while.