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[Campo Girl]

Hola

I have uploaded some more images to my Facebook page regarding my April garden, wante to share, I think we need some photo albums for this forum so we can all share.............I will get my thinking cap on where images are concerned

If anyone wants to connect on Faceboook I am http://www.facebook.com/simoneicough

Hope you like them

Oh and by the way some of my images are being used by a local magazine which is really exciting

April Gardening

Simone

[Suzy]

Hi Simone,
I too have put some garden pics on Facebook.  I find it easier to download there.  How do you put a link there?
Cheers
Suzy

[Suzy]

Your mog is centre stage!!!

[Campo Girl]

Hola Suzy

I will send you a PM regarding how to add a link as I don´t want them knowing too much about our code here

Add me as a friend too x

[researcher]

Hi
My name is Jane and I am a freelance journalist working in the south of Spain. I came across your web site and I am hoping you might be able to help me. I am currently working on a feature for a home and gardening supplement and I wanted to ask you some advise on gardening in South of Spain.. as I must admit it's an area I am not entirely informed about.

If you had a few minutes I would be delighted if you could answer the following questions. The answers do not have to be too technical or advanced as I am just looking for handy tips from people in the know. Please send answers to jane.plunkett@gmail.com

1. What would your advise be for the normal everyday gardener wanting to transform their garden into a nice summer garden? What plants work well? What should be avoided? What preparation should be done to the garden b4 planting seeds/plants/flowers?

2. What affect does the sun have on a garden in the south of Spain during summer, and how do we minimise the damage of the sun to the garden?

3. If grass is difficult to maintain and costly too, what alternatives are there?

4. From your vast experience in gardening in Spain, what would be your top 5 tips/advise for novice gardeners?

I would really appreciate some answers by tomorrow if anyone could find the time..

Thanks a million in advance, Jane

[Suzy]

Hi Jane,
Very difficult to answer your questions.  I have only been here for a couple of years and am still on a vast learning curve. My answers to your questions would be as follows, but I hope that the many more experienced contibuters to this website will help.
1.  Compost, compost, compost.  Test your soil and plant accordingly.  It is perverse but all gardeners want to grow what they can´t in their soil. 
2.  Sun - well you can grow anything here as long as it´s watered well and that´s the problem, we don´t usually get a lot of rain in Andalucia.  It is difficult to generalise,  one person´s garden differs from another.
3.  Grass is a no no, unless you have free water and a lot of time to devote.  There are lots of hard covering available here which is attractive and easy to maintain.  Failing that the plastic turf is getting a bit better (yuk yuk). 
4.  5 tips -  Well, bring some seed with you from England.  Some of it works, some of it doesn´t.  We have had better than expected results, some annuals in the UK turn out to be perenniels here.  But some stuff just doesn´t work because it needs a lot of water.  The best tip is for people to experiment, that is half the fun and don´t be disappointed if it doesn´t work.  Most of it will and exceed your expectations.    We have had some spectacular displays and some sad disappointments, but most of all don´t give up.  Keep experimenting.
Hope this helps.  The real expert, Simone, is laid up at the moment.
Cheers
Suzy

[Alec]

I sent the following reply to the journalist´s enquiry, and hope that you (and other members) may agree to a greater or lesser extent with what I suggested:

I am replying to your questions on gardening in Spain. Although we have only been living here full-time for three years, we have had property here for ten, and have learned the hard way what will and will not grow.

1. What would your advise be for the normal everyday gardener wanting to transform their garden into a nice summer garden? What plants work well? What should be avoided? What preparation should be done to the garden by planting seeds/plants/flowers?.
I agree that plenty of compost is needed. Most soil here consists of crumbled rock and it is often worth importing good topsoil. When laying out the garden, plan for the irrigation, then arrange your plan to suit.

2. What affect does the sun have on a garden in the south of Spain during summer, and how do we minimise the damage of the sun to the garden?
Plants can still grow leggy here if too shaded, and shade over sensitive plants from the sun should be by plastic mesh, or whitewashed plastic, taking the cue from commercial growers.

3. If grass is difficult to maintain and costly too, what alternatives are there?
Gramma grass (irradiated variants of common couch) are tough as old boots. Along the costa they are now using artificial grass in their beds on the beach beneath banana trees and palms, and they look surprisingly good!

4. From your vast experience in gardening in Spain, what would be your top 5 tips/advise for novice gardeners?
1. Remember there are two main growing seasons, late winter-early spring, and autumn to early winter. Commercial growers get two crops in each of these! During summer things don´t grow, they just struggle to survive.
2. Irrigation is the most important factor. We have six computer timers and hundreds of metres of tubing in a medium sized garden.
3. See what your neighbours can grow, and do likewise.
4. If you must have patio pots, be prepared to water these two or three times a day if necessary.
5. Forget everything you have ever learned about growing in the UK .


I can supply good digi garden photos (many dozens) if you need them.

Good luck,
Alec.

[Suzy]

Alec,
How professional your advice was - tons better than my boring generic stuff.  You really should write a book of your experiences.
In admiration!
Cheers
Suzy