Hi all.
WE will be out at easter and we want to get a garden strted. We are close to mas De barberans. We are only out during school holdays. Our spanish is of the one word many gesture variety at the moment.
can anyone suggest 5 or 6 robust species that can survive and thrive with literally no care.
WE have oleander but the bougaunvilla seemed traumatised in january.
WE have a shaded area also which we would like to plant.
So its plants for dry and sunny / plants for dry and shaded. [ we get frost']
And finally what days in Holy Week are the processions on in Tortosa?
I am listeing to the rain and the wind battering at the windows in gloomy Wicklow and wishing..........
mary

Hi
We have this dilemma as well as we are only out for about 6/7 times a year and although we would like the plants in the garden to grow I don't want the weeds to grow with the same vigour!  We have used most of the plants that we inherited i.e. the cacti, arum lilies and a fantastic trailing plant, which looks like a tradescantia (wandering jew), which produces very tiny dark pink flowers and isn't too bothered with lack of water.  We tend to just see what plants are growing wild near us and try to copy that.  Without being in Spain full time it is very hard to garden proficiently.  I do bring out my geraniums from my English garden when they have finished here and just plant them out; if they survive it’s a bonus and if they don't nothing lost!
It would be great to hear everybody elses tips
Debbie

We have some friends who only come out a couple of times a year, and have tried planting various things to see how they go....at the moment, they reckon the most succesfull are the Yukas...they survived right through the summer with no extra watering, and also through the cold spells this winter.

Liz

;D

how about some plastic ones Debs
went by your place and all is well love from me  c u soon  ;)
xx

:)

Thanks for the drive by just to make sure its still there!  Yeap plastic plants are next on the list, after all I don't want to spend all my hols gardening I have other things more interesting like seeing mates ;)

Thanks to all who made suggestions for my tough plants. Will try yucca, cacti and lilies.
Just waiting fo the wind to die down, the rain to stop and counting the day to Spain.
happy st. Patrick's Day everybody mary.   :) [smiley=happy.gif]

Castor bean plant is a must looks after itself will grow 6ft in one season and sheds loads of seed pods has lovely red stems and large palmate leaves, it even grows next to the sea, i have seen them at st Carles de la Rapita

If you want seeds ring us on 977059254

Personally I would not allow a castor bean plant anywhere near the house or where small children are going to play as the seed pods are extremely poisonous.  They are the source ricin, which Agatha Christie used to great effect in some of her novels.

Hi Tony,

I'm having an 100 m2 patio on a town house renovated as we speak.

Part of a north facing wall is actually from the family next door but one, so I dont want to waste my own money plastering and painting their wall.

Would like to know what very fast growing climbing plant will cover the wall in a season (russian vine comes to mind but I dont know what it's called in Spanish!!!)

It will be planted in a small stone flower bed or even a large terracotta pot, so it wont become invasive.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.

Jools

Hi Jools
Wanting something to grow that quickly would seem to indicate Russian Vine, but like yourself I do not know what it is called in Spanish or even if it is available in Spain.  I cannot say that I have ever partiuclarly noticed it around.  As for other plants well my knowledge is not that good as to what is an extremely fast grower.
May I suggest that you join the Iberian Nature Forum www.iberianatureforum.com and pose your question on the plants section.  I am sure that there is someone on there who will be able to come up with an answer for you.  It is also an extremely interesting forum to belong to if you have any queries about what is growing, walking, swimming or flying around you here in Spain.
Good Luck
Tony

Hi Jools,

Russian Vine is known under different names: Correquetepillo, Corre que te pillo, Enredadera rusa, Viña del Tíbet

But be carefull with fast growing plants, there is always a moment in the future you regret the jungle you created  ;D

Mark

wrote on Aug 18^th, 2008 at 10:20pm:

Personally I would not allow a castor bean plant anywhere near the house or where small children are going to play as the seed pods are extremely poisonous.  They are the source ricin, which Agatha Christie used to great effect in some of her novels.

Yes Tony exactly why we planted them, nice and poisonous

Hi all
I have seen what we call "Morning Glory" all over this area. Very fast growing like Russian Vine and has the most beautiful
deep blue/purple trumpet flowers. It grows wild by the sea aswell.