A silver carpet you can walk on !!!!!

Sharing tips and information on gardening is always welcome, as I discovered today after meeting a very knowledgeable lady from South Africa. Just wish I had my note pad with me to write down the many plants that she was talking about !. But I  managed to remember one which is so popular in South Africa, also parts of California too, because of limited water resources, thinking of plants that will survive long droughts is the way forward.

                                                             Above used as a barrier for weeds

                                          Used inbetween flagstones and lawn replacement

Dymondia margaretae or Silver carpet is one such plant that will become more and more popular. A ground cover with a difference, unlike other ground covering plants, Dymondia has a deep rooting system, enabling it  to store nutrition and moisture. Apparently because of the texture of the leaves its non slip when walking on it ! Yes it can be used as lawn replacement, although it might take some time, as its a slow grower. Better even between flagstones on a pathway, its tightly knitted together so great for prevention of soil erosion and stopping those dreaded weeds from coming through. Totally drought resistant, once the rains return it will spring back to life with small daisy like yellow flowers appearing. Silvery grey green in colour and  grows in most soils,  full sun or shade. Maybe you are already familiar with this plant and its many possibilities,for me its one to put on my list of recommended plants for the clients of Villa care. If any one living here in Menorca has this growing already, please let me know, lets hope its available at the local garden. See pics of this plant attached.

Pics of plants for growing in shade or under trees

                                                          Above Polygonum capitatum

                                                          Above Vinca major

                                                            Above Agapanthus

Plants for growing in the shade or under trees

There are  a few plants that will grow quite happily in the shade or under a tree where nothing else seems to survive. One of them is a tough ground cover called Polygonum capitatum that will also grow under Pine trees. A client of Villa care who has had this problem of nothing growing under the trees can now check out the garden centres for the following to plant up. Vinca major a perennial is a great ground cover, perfect for under trees with its long tendrils rooting as it spreads with blue purple flowers, put it in borders as its great for keeping the weeds at bay, and being that its evergreen it will make good work of covering bare patches.
If you want something more bold and up right then Agapanthus is known for being tough, healthy and beautiful. Again it will grow well in the shade and among the tree roots, as it likes to grow in tight clumps, as its a bulb it should be divided about every 7yrs in order for it to produce the amazing blue sphere like flowers that stand on erect stems.It will grow perfectly in pots too, as it will thrive in a potbound clump. Just remember to get best results from Agapanthus plant them in a rich earth, preferably with leaf mould. Water regularly in Summer. See pics of the above attached.

Wooden pallets in the garden

Garden furniture is an expensive outlay, so  for a lady of Villa care who has been waiting several weeks for some out door seating to arrive. I put in a temporary solution which she has kept and likes more.
The solution is 8 wooden pallets, simply lay 4 down to form a square then put the remaining 4 pallets on top, cover with a colourful throw, add some large cushions and you have an instant place to relax, high enough from the ground without having to struggle to get up and retreive your drink. Use a bit of imagination and make a different shape, paint them, leave them out throughout the year, good as ever, for very little outlay for year after year use. I will try to up load some pics of dressed pallets so you can see the transformation. If space is an issue try a hammock, there are so many sizes from singles to grande, prices vary but still good value for money if you shop around.

                                                4 Pics of Fremontodendron californicum

Zero watering

Water as we know is vital to our lives as well as our crops and using it sparingly is a global issue. So using it to a minimum is essential for all our sakes. So heres a real gem of a plant, that requires NO WATER  through summer at all. Fremontodendron californicum is a beautiful free flowering plant that will grow to about 15ft with bright yellow waxy flowers throughout the summer. It will survive on rainfall during the beginning and  end of the year. In fact if you did water this plant it would die within a week or so.
Iv suggested this plant to a holiday home owner of Villa care menorca who has a dry garden with zero irrigation, it will give the rest of your planting a splash of colour , an attractive ornamental tree that certainly deserves a place in everyones garden. There are two other cross species of this plant, which are called California glory and  Fremontodendron mexicanum. Plant it behind a border of blue lavendar or Rosemary latin name Rosmarinus officinalis to compliment the strength of colour. Pics of this amazing plant attached.

More on Trees......

The humidity of the last few days has taken its toll on me, as I forgot to mention two fantastic looking trees to the blog yesterday.
The first is of course the Jacaranda tree, or mimosifolia popular in many countries because of its beautiful pale blue lilic flowers that cover its branches in the early part of summer. Its also drought tolerant, once established it needs little or no water. Its not as rapid in growth as the trees mentioned earlier, but well worth planting one for the amazing mass of colour it delivers.
The other tree is the Chinaberry or bead tree or latin name Melia azedarach, this does grow rapidly and produces lilac purple fragrant clusters in spring a lovely tree for creating a shady place to sit. In winter bunches of  pale yellow berries hang from the branches, which were once used to make rosary beads.
Back tomorrow with more gardening info from Villa care menorca, but now Im going to cool down in the sea.