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Old 03-04-2005, 01:02 PM
Totty
 
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Default Introducing myself

I've been lurking here and on the 'other' gardening group to see which
one will be more relevant to my needs. I 'garden' on a south facing
slope in Eastern Spain. The climate is more equivalent to California
than the Cotswalds, but the humour on this Group is definitely
superior.
Jo

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Old 03-04-2005, 01:46 PM
Duncan Heenan
 
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"Totty" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been lurking here and on the 'other' gardening group to see which
one will be more relevant to my needs. I 'garden' on a south facing
slope in Eastern Spain. The climate is more equivalent to California
than the Cotswalds, but the humour on this Group is definitely
superior.
Jo

Welcome Totty. You're right the American sense of humour is a bit lacking.
As you're in Spain maybe you can suggest something for me to grow in my
'Mediterranean Orchard' I am constructing on the South of the Isle of Wight.
South facing sun trap, relatively poor well drained soil, but it does get
the odd mild frost in winter. I've got apricot, peach, kiwis, Asian pear,
olive and have room for about 8 more.
Buenos tardes
Duncan



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Old 03-04-2005, 03:02 PM
Harold Walker
 
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Perhaps there is a lack of understanding of the American humor by the Brits,
just as there is a lack of understanding of the Brit humor by the Yanks +
there is such a diversity in the USA that often one part of the USA does not
understand the humor of another part...HW
"Duncan Heenan" wrote in message
...

"Totty" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been lurking here and on the 'other' gardening group to see which
one will be more relevant to my needs. I 'garden' on a south facing
slope in Eastern Spain. The climate is more equivalent to California
than the Cotswalds, but the humour on this Group is definitely
superior.
Jo

Welcome Totty. You're right the American sense of humour is a bit lacking.
As you're in Spain maybe you can suggest something for me to grow in my
'Mediterranean Orchard' I am constructing on the South of the Isle of
Wight. South facing sun trap, relatively poor well drained soil, but it
does get the odd mild frost in winter. I've got apricot, peach, kiwis,
Asian pear, olive and have room for about 8 more.
Buenos tardes
Duncan





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Old 03-04-2005, 04:15 PM
June Hughes
 
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Default

In message .com,
Totty writes
I've been lurking here and on the 'other' gardening group to see which
one will be more relevant to my needs. I 'garden' on a south facing
slope in Eastern Spain. The climate is more equivalent to California
than the Cotswalds, but the humour on this Group is definitely
superior.
Jo

Hello Jo

I expect you grow all that wonderful stuff that we would love,
especially veg. Keep posting.
--
June Hughes


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Old 03-04-2005, 05:12 PM
Totty
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Thank you for your welcomes, Duncan & Sacha. My apologies Harold if I
have upset anyones sensibilities....you are probably right.
Mine is a garden in 3 sections...the higher levels are a series of dry
stone terraces containing soil so poor it struggles to grow weeds, the
middle level on which the house sits has a thin layer of imported soil
over a soft limestone, and the bottom level was left wild apart from an
annual going over with a strimmer to keep my husband happy. Until last
year, the main crops on the bottom half of my slope were pine cones and
collared dove droppings. After a particularly nasty and painfull
encounter with a nest of processionary caterpillars, I approached the
Town Hall for permission to fell the remaining 7 pines. This permission
was granted on the understanding that I planted 2 trees for every one
that I felled. As tree could be interpreted loosely, I took advantage
of a special offer at the local garden centre and included 5 palm trees
in my selection, as I know these do well without regular watering. Most
of the other trees I chose are fruit trees; apricot, 3 varieties of
plum, pomegranate and nispero.These were all planted last April. The
apricot has flowered well. The red plum and the yellow plum have had
few flowers, but the prune, which is only just showing signs of life,
is full of flower buds. This tree was the only one attacked by aphids
last year, but as it came from a different source, maybe had not
received the same systemic pest control as the others.
I have struggled here for twenty years, and now work on the premise
that if a wild plant does well, don't fight it. The small bright pink
flowers of our resident bindweed provide colour without being too
invasive. What does well? In flower at the moment are wisteria, yellow
jasmin, lavender, sage, roses, orange trees, dymorphia (known locally
as matacabras...goat killers) kalanchoe and freesias, which propogate
easily from seed here. I also have a flowering shrub sold locally as
'Polygona' which has a purple pea flower throughout the year. The
Lantana bushes would normally be in flower, but have been hard hit by
our unusually cold winter (the worst for 30 years) and now need a
severe pruning, as the top growth is burnt, but the almond tree seemed
to appreciate the long dormant spell, and has set a good crop of nuts.
From now until June I can hope to see Aloe, Bignonia and Peruvian

honeysuckle coming into flower. After that, the bindweed reigns supreme
until the heat subsides again in October. As Duncan has his
"Mediterranean garden", I have my "English garden". To the north side
of the house and well shaded from the summer sun, except at high noon,
there is a small strip on the edge of a bank, and a gravelled area at
its base, where I can grow hydrangias, lilies and fuschias in pots. I
have had a clematis in a pot against the house wall for 5 years, and it
seems to be happy. This post is developing into a rambler, so I'll shut
up. Duncan, off the top of my head, if you are asking about fruit trees
in particular, you might try a nispero. Mine seemed to have come
through a frosty spell without much damage, although the commercial
growers report losses. They are higher up than us, so may have had
colder temps. Nisperos sold in nurseries are grafted onto quince, but
they grow well from seed, just take longer to fruit. If you can't track
down a plant, I could send some seeds over when the fruit are in season
as they need to be planted fresh. The seeds look like small chestnuts.
Jo

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Old 03-04-2005, 05:28 PM
Sacha
 
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Default

On 3/4/05 4:12 pm, in article
, "Totty"
wrote:

Thank you for your welcomes, Duncan & Sacha.

snip of fascinating account
I have struggled here for twenty years, and now work on the premise
that if a wild plant does well, don't fight it. The small bright pink
flowers of our resident bindweed provide colour without being too
invasive.


Is that Ipomoea - morning glory which I think of as purple but I *think*
there's a pink one as well. It grows like a weed, literally, in Med.
Countries.

What does well? In flower at the moment are wisteria, yellow
jasmin, lavender, sage, roses, orange trees, dymorphia (known locally
as matacabras...goat killers) kalanchoe and freesias, which propogate
easily from seed here. I also have a flowering shrub sold locally as
'Polygona' which has a purple pea flower throughout the year.


I think this is what we call Polygala? It's a lovely plant but not hardy
here.

snip
Nisperos sold in nurseries are grafted onto quince, but
they grow well from seed, just take longer to fruit. If you can't track
down a plant, I could send some seeds over when the fruit are in season
as they need to be planted fresh. The seeds look like small chestnuts.


As I look out the window at a cold, grey Sunday, I'm very envious of your
description, poor soil or not! But what is a nispero - I don't think I know
that at all?
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

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Old 03-04-2005, 05:34 PM
Totty
 
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Default

Sorry June, I have to disappoint you! Tap water is metered and
expensive here, a combination of spring water bought from an inland
village, and the produce of the local de-salination plant. Rainwater is
a luxury. The veg available on the local markets is fantastic and
reasonably priced. Commercial growers can tap into the grey water
system which runs in conjunction with the household system. In our town
area grey water from the sewage works is used to keep public gardens
looking lush, and all new apartment blocks are supposed to plumb
toilets into this system, but as the builders ignore the rest of the
regulations, they probably ignore this one as well! We are outside the
town and not on the sewage system. Our neighbour regularly pumps the
water from his septic tank's third chamber onto his garden with
spectacular results. Growing coriander and curly leafed parsley is the
nearest I come to vegetable gardening these days, although I did used
to grow sugarpeas before they were available here.
Jo

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Old 03-04-2005, 06:02 PM
Gary Woods
 
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Default

"Duncan Heenan" wrote:

Welcome Totty. You're right the American sense of humour is a bit lacking.


That's because you Brits can't even spell "humor" right!
And welcome from the lurker in the (former) American colonies.

Today the weather is definitely right for this group. Cold, cloudy,
drizzle. I'm watching an old "Goons" movie to keep in the mood, and
sorting through the seed collection trying to figure out where I can plant
them all!

Cheers!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G
  #10   Report Post  
Old 03-04-2005, 06:05 PM
June Hughes
 
Posts: n/a
Default

In message .com,
Totty writes
Sorry June, I have to disappoint you! Tap water is metered and
expensive here, a combination of spring water bought from an inland
village, and the produce of the local de-salination plant. Rainwater is
a luxury.


Not even lemons?

--
June Hughes


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Old 03-04-2005, 06:08 PM
Totty
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Is that Ipomoea - morning glory which I think of as purple but I
*think*
there's a pink one as well. It grows like a weed, literally, in Med.
Countries.

No Sacha, not the bright blue, large flowered Ipomoea. This rampages up
telephone poles and smothers anything it can get a grip on. *My*
bindweed is more like the lesser bindweed of UK, but with hairy leaves.
Flowers are about 1" in diameter. There is also a white flowered
version, but I don't have it....yet.

I think this is what we call Polygala? It's a lovely plant but not
hardy
here.

There was a single speciman in the garden when we bought the house
twenty years ago. About 5 years ago, it suddenly started to seed
itself around the garden. I now pot a few of these up just after
germination as they will not happily stand transplanting later. They
are expensive to buy here, so I give them away as pot plants. They can
be trained into attractive standards.

But what is a nispero - I don't think I know
that at all?

I first came across it in Portugal back in 1966, then didn't come
across it again until came here to the Costa Blanca. I think it is a
type of medlar - I know it is grafted onto quince, and the latin name
is Mespilus Germanica L. and it belongs to the rose family. If you put
the word 'nispero' into an image search engine you will get an idea. I
use it to make chutney, as it is the one fruit that I can't eat raw. It
is very sweet, but at the same time acidic.
Jo

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Old 03-04-2005, 06:24 PM
Totty
 
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Default

Not even lemons?

A sore point! We were given a lemon tree as an anniversary present ten
years ago..it flowers well and sets fruit, but they fall off when about
1" dia. I suppose I should buy another one, but so many friends and
neighbours have fruit to spare that I haven't bothered.
Jo

  #13   Report Post  
Old 03-04-2005, 08:47 PM
JennyC
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Totty" wrote in message
oups.com...
I've been lurking here and on the 'other' gardening group to see which
one will be more relevant to my needs. I 'garden' on a south facing
slope in Eastern Spain. The climate is more equivalent to California
than the Cotswalds, but the humour on this Group is definitely
superior.
Jo


Hi Jo,
yep, the humour here is very much in evidence :~))

Lucky you in such a nice location.
What sort of temperatures do you have summer/winter ?

Jenny



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Old 03-04-2005, 09:13 PM
Harold Walker
 
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Default


"Gary Woods" wrote in message ...
"Duncan Heenan" wrote:

Welcome Totty. You're right the American sense of humour is a bit lacking.


That's because you Brits can't even spell "humor" right!and this Brit. even spells it humor and honor etc. HW
And welcome from the lurker in the (former) American colonies.

Today the weather is definitely right for this group. Cold, cloudy,
drizzle. I'm watching an old "Goons" movie to keep in the mood, and
sorting through the seed collection trying to figure out where I can plant
them all!

Cheers!


Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at home.earthlink.net/~garygarlic
Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1420' elevation. NY WO G

  #15   Report Post  
Old 03-04-2005, 09:39 PM
Duncan Heenan
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Totty" wrote in message
oups.com...
Thank you for your welcomes, Duncan & Sacha. My apologies Harold if I
have upset anyones sensibilities....you are probably right.
Mine is a garden in 3 sections...the higher levels are a series of dry
stone terraces containing soil so poor it struggles to grow weeds, the
middle level on which the house sits has a thin layer of imported soil
over a soft limestone, and the bottom level was left wild apart from an
annual going over with a strimmer to keep my husband happy. Until last
year, the main crops on the bottom half of my slope were pine cones and
collared dove droppings. After a particularly nasty and painfull
encounter with a nest of processionary caterpillars, I approached the
Town Hall for permission to fell the remaining 7 pines. This permission
was granted on the understanding that I planted 2 trees for every one
that I felled. As tree could be interpreted loosely, I took advantage
of a special offer at the local garden centre and included 5 palm trees
in my selection, as I know these do well without regular watering. Most
of the other trees I chose are fruit trees; apricot, 3 varieties of
plum, pomegranate and nispero.These were all planted last April. The
apricot has flowered well. The red plum and the yellow plum have had
few flowers, but the prune, which is only just showing signs of life,
is full of flower buds. This tree was the only one attacked by aphids
last year, but as it came from a different source, maybe had not
received the same systemic pest control as the others.
I have struggled here for twenty years, and now work on the premise
that if a wild plant does well, don't fight it. The small bright pink
flowers of our resident bindweed provide colour without being too
invasive. What does well? In flower at the moment are wisteria, yellow
jasmin, lavender, sage, roses, orange trees, dymorphia (known locally
as matacabras...goat killers) kalanchoe and freesias, which propogate
easily from seed here. I also have a flowering shrub sold locally as
'Polygona' which has a purple pea flower throughout the year. The
Lantana bushes would normally be in flower, but have been hard hit by
our unusually cold winter (the worst for 30 years) and now need a
severe pruning, as the top growth is burnt, but the almond tree seemed
to appreciate the long dormant spell, and has set a good crop of nuts.
From now until June I can hope to see Aloe, Bignonia and Peruvian

honeysuckle coming into flower. After that, the bindweed reigns supreme
until the heat subsides again in October. As Duncan has his
"Mediterranean garden", I have my "English garden". To the north side
of the house and well shaded from the summer sun, except at high noon,
there is a small strip on the edge of a bank, and a gravelled area at
its base, where I can grow hydrangias, lilies and fuschias in pots. I
have had a clematis in a pot against the house wall for 5 years, and it
seems to be happy. This post is developing into a rambler, so I'll shut
up. Duncan, off the top of my head, if you are asking about fruit trees
in particular, you might try a nispero. Mine seemed to have come
through a frosty spell without much damage, although the commercial
growers report losses. They are higher up than us, so may have had
colder temps. Nisperos sold in nurseries are grafted onto quince, but
they grow well from seed, just take longer to fruit. If you can't track
down a plant, I could send some seeds over when the fruit are in season
as they need to be planted fresh. The seeds look like small chestnuts.
Jo


Nisperos! New to me. Intriguing. I shall look them up and give it some
thought.
Many thanks.
Duncan



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