Gardeners corner

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 11:10 pm

Anyone interested in sharing ideas. what grows well, where how and when.

for example I have always wanted to grow bourgnevillias (cant spell it)
anyone have any tips. Do and donts.
I was told you must not water them...while they are flowering true or false?
Are any varieties better than others?

piglet

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Oct 09, 2004 2:34 pm

bouganavillas.(spelling???) yes dont plant hybrid colours....much slower...they like contstriicted areas and full sun...once established we never water at all....best plant is geraniums...just cut off and stick in wet ground....we never ever water ours...and they do really welll.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 11:41 am

Hi thanks response re bouganavillas.

Being a complete thicket here...what do you mean by hybrid colours?

What are the natural colours/varieties?

We had planned to plant a couple in large pots to grow up some pillars(they look a bit bland) Yes these are in full sun on a veranda. The other is over a pergola to provide a screen. Sun 75%of day.

Can you suggest any other climbers?

We also have to plant some sort of bushes/screen/plant all around the garden so it is not so open about 150metres

Geraniums, what a good idea...and they are meant to deter mosquitos...well so I am told

Thanks

iane · Post by **iane** » Sun Oct 10, 2004 10:46 pm

Another good climber that we have used is jasmine (please dont ask which variety - we bought it from Maxmat for about €3 each plant).

It is a softer plant with beautiful white flowers in bunches and grows dead fast up to about 8 metres - does need water though.

Also it is less demanding for support - we have the famous green stuff as fencing on top of the boundary wall and it grows well without pulling the fence down.

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:53 pm

Hi, hope you don't mind me joining in on this one.
We have just had a pergola built which we would like to grow bourgainvillea (oxford english dictionary) and grapevines up each post in large pots, I was hopeing that they would be ok in pots and not need to much soil, so thank you, Guest, on helping on that, I would also like to know the difference between the native and hybrid colours, I love the deep purples, reds and pinks. Jasmine sounds nice to, but watering might be a problem as we only get out once a month and I don't expect that will be enough.
About the hedging plants, what is the one with the tiny flowers that are all different colours on the same flower spike? usually yellows, reds and oranges, have seen it as a hedge and would like to have it at our place too. Anyone have any ideas?
Where would be the best place to go to get good size trees ( about 6ft tall) I am looking at Mimossa and Jacaranda, but would also like fairly big examples of rhododendron and other flowering shrubs, Have a large area which needs big trees and plants.
Thanks if anyone can help.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:42 pm

hybrid colours are whites yelows etc... natural is the normal red.

also try growing grendillas..get them from panorama garden centre on silves to messines road. (they also have mangos guavas..even a coffee bush ..but some are only suitable for inland areas ..no frost no salt winds...english man in nora has 800 mango trees ..sells the crop every year) ..grendillas are very quick growerss..like full sun. and you get fruit wiithin two years...only problem is they only live for about 5 years...but fruit is well worth it....plant next to wall ..we found putting black plastic down everywhere helps to keep ground damp.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:47 pm

Hi Lesley Jean

the more the merrier!!

I know the orange and yellow hedging you mean, its really pretty. Cant help with the name though. I wonder how tall it grows? Like the idea re the vine. I saw one growing over a Pergola it looked wonderful. All the bunches of grapes hanging down. My only concern was would wasps be a problem? (on a more practical side)

We have jasmine in the UK, scent is wonderful. Never thought of planting it in P

Interesting point about salt winds.....We will be living on the western Algarve up near Aljezur..we have been warned it can be very windy.

I think gardening in Portugal is going to be quite a challenge

I have always wanted to grow lemons, oranges and peaches. Perhaps I will give Mangoes a try as well.

It would be interesting to compile a list of places to buy plants, trees etc Does not have to be the fancy garden centres, which can be really expensive. But good plants etc

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 2:48 pm

Hi Everyone

We're just buying an apartment near Lagos - the balcony gets morning sun till about midday.

Any ideas for plants in pots to put on a small balcony that won't grow leggy in the shady part of the day? Some climbers would be nice too.

Jasmine would be fine, I guess, but not bourganvillea as I think it needs full sun.

A list of places to buy plants would be excellent! I don't know any at the moment so regret can't start the list off.

Jan

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 3:32 pm

Hi piglet, how is the move going?
The hedging I believe can be cut to stay the size you want it to. or let grow to about 6ft or so. Looks better when it is kept trim as it bushes out nicely.
I hadn't thought about the wasp problem with grapes, but we have a small vineyard next to our property and that doesn't seem to give a problem with them, they are more of a pest coming to the pool for water in the summer.
Jasmine sounds nice, maybe when we are out there more often it would be one to grow.
Hope all is well with the property and good luck.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Oct 13, 2004 5:54 pm

Hi Lesley

sent you a PM re update.

Also found this site on Med plants. Useful Links

http://www.naturalgarve.com/pricelist/med_plants.htm

http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/mcgttw.html

The wonders of search engines. Keen gardeners enjoy

Piglet

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Thu Oct 14, 2004 12:03 pm

Hi piglet, thanks for the sites, will have a proper look when time permits, but looks very good with some more ideas of plants etc.

I havn't received your PM as yet?!?!

Dipsy · Post by **Dipsy** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:37 am

Hi all,

Just a uestion for the person who posted under ' Guest' re a man called Nora with 800 mangoe trees -

Do you have a contact number/e-mail for this person and does he sell any of his trees ?

Regards

Dipsy

kteee · Post by **kteee** » Wed Dec 01, 2004 11:43 am

I would like to know when to prune hibiscus - we have 4 which are still flowering now but have been allowed to get very 'leggy' and I would like to cut them back to encourage them to bush out a bit. Any ideas?

piglet · Post by **piglet** » Fri Dec 03, 2004 11:46 pm

Ktee, may be worth asking Ellie. I think she said she was very much into gardening. I would be interested in response
Pigs

Ellie · Post by **Ellie** » Sun Dec 05, 2004 1:06 am

Hi Piglet & Kteee..
Just spotted this little corner (not been here before don't think)....
Hibiscus..I love this plant...and kteee youre so lucky to have 4 still flowering like that..beautiful I envy you..
I only have one small plant...which in cold Lincs seems to die right off..become like a dead stick (I should protect it more really) but each year it comes back and is beautiful(called Red Heart)..lovely white flowers with splash of red at the heart

pruning..
Are yours the 'syriacus' ones..that are deciduous? If so..then springtime is the time for pruning..on the previous years growth prune within 2 to 4 buds of the old wood (this helps to shape & stimulate new flowering shoots) Any old,damaged or dead stems can be pruned out or cut back to the base. You can help improve the shape by pinching out the tips of new shoots right through the growing season..this will increase number of flowering shoots as well....
Don't know if this is any help?

Gardeners corner

Gardeners corner

Mangoe tres