Going native

In a Vase on Monday - Great Western

Well, it's Monday, so here's what I've got in a vase right now.  I'm linking with Cathy for her weekly meme.  Do stop by.

Great Western, a gift from a gardener in Germany

One of my favourite rose scents

Wordless Wednesday - Shah Jehan

Shah Jehan iris by Cayeux (1935)

5 Years

Just five years ago this week, we moved into our new home in the country of rural LaMancha, full of plans for the future and garden dreams.

Move-in day, 2011

(Five years later, my boys don't even fit in this car anymore!)

We had bought the house lot several years earlier, which had been farmland and had not a single tree growing on it.  There was not a speck of shade to speak of.  As you can see, I had my work cut out for myself.

The lay of the land, before retaining walls and grading

Planning a garden from scratch is quite an undertaking, especially for a newbie.  After years of reading gardening books, magazines and blogs, it was finally time to put all my ideas into practice.

Many mistakes have been made, of course, such as thinking that fruit trees could grow in clay and hardpan under a brutal Spanish sun.  Not so.  There have also been other delightful surprises, like the fact that seemingly delicate antique and English roses work wonders here.  Who knew?!  Coming from New England, gardening with LaMancha's soil conditions and climate has been (and still is) a slow learning process.

Many new plants still need to fill in

A new terraced seating area and stone path around the Fraxinus rubra have been added.

A happy view from my kitchen window

The view from the front door

So, after five years, it is time to take stock of my garden's progress.  While many projects have not yet been begun, and several others have not yet been completed, I feel good about what has been accomplished, even though I know that much work still lies ahead.

Oh, the projects...

Let's sit for a while and ponder them, shall we?

Wordless Wednesday - Jubilé du Prince de Monaco

Jubilé du Prince de Monaco

Bloom Day - May, 2015

On the 15th of each month, garden bloggers from around the world post photos of what's blooming in their gardens.  I'm a day late this month, but the garden is starting its explosion of roses.  Unfortunately, we've had 4 days of 95-100ºF temps.  The blooms are opening and falling fast, and I'm enjoying the first flush while it lasts (which won't be long).

The entry garden is abloom with roses, sage and thyme.

Parthenocissus tricuspidata covers the top of the wall. 

The Shepherdess and Salvia officinalis 

Abraham Darby and thyme

 

William Shakespeare, my favorite red (ish) rose

The side walkway looking towards the front garden

Clematis vitalba on the left, Lady Banks and Teasing Georgia on the right.

Another view of the front garden

Not everything is photo-worthy.  The front garden still has lots of holes to fill... for next fall.

I'm linking with Carol at May Dreams Gardens.

Wordless Wednesday - Poppies