sunnysenorita

Hi,

I'm a complete beginner when it comes to gardening.

We have just moved into our new apartment which has several, very large, deep areas for planting.

I particular like flowering plants like Geraniums and eventually would like some trailing Bouganvillia.

My main priority is to have simple, easy to care for outdoor plants that love the sun and don't need much maintenance.

I would also like to grow some herbs on one of the upper terraces.

Any suggestions from our green fingered members?

mrsjdr

Hi, Not very good at gardening, but went to good garden centre on Saturday, on road from Fuengirola to Coin, Casa Las Flores, Carretera MA-426 KM 14, Fuengirola, Alhourin El Grande, 29120. Telephone 952 112 132. It is quite a way up from Fuengirola, almost in Alhourin,on the left hand sid on sharp bend, really big, and everything you need. Bought geraniums and trailing petunias, as had them in pots last year, water like mad and "dead head" them and they just keep flowering. Have tried to grow herbs, but not had much success, daughter has some in pots on balcony, they dry out very quick, but hers look fine.Good Luck

mikelincs

Look at local garden centres. Lantana are very good and will stand the heat and dryness, all cacti, and you can grow hundreds, bourgainvillia will do OK in a large pot, Ipomea, especially the perennial one, Hardenbergia for spring colour, jasmine, not winter flowering which is called amarillo here, will give you wonderful scent. Watch out for the geranium moth, will decimate them if you don't spray regularly. Herbs will be OK, and many people also grow tomatoes on their terraces. Really depends oin where in Spain you are, here on the South Coast we don't get frosts, so can grow pretty much anything, but in the height of summer they need very regular watering, so many people have automatic watering systems.

rugbymatt

If you have deep beds then get a bit creative.

I take it they are constructed beds? If so, line them in some plastic, then puncture the plastic, it will drain so much slower and give them some vital moisture at the bottom, the harder plants have to work for their nutrients and water the more spectacular the flowers.

Then think of something you like, Bougainvillea would be good, but again, make it work hard, then you could underplant it with lower plants or herbs, rosemary would love the restrictive environment, as would lavender.
If you have the space try something like Canna indica it loves full sun and can be underplanted with something like Chlorophytum elatum or Geraniums.

I would try and grow some fruits along there, Actinidia deliciosa has stunning flowers and the bonus of Kiwis if you are careful.

Big Pete

Hmmmm a rugby playing Gardener , thats something you dont see everyday

Big Pete

Hi sunnysenorita

the best way i feel to accomplish that dream garden is the way i intend to do it . not as technical as rugbymatts technical advice but am sure my way is best

Now lets analyse the problem of all that dirt and then the flowers ? gets in your finger nails ! weeds grow in there ? needs watering ? neighbours cat pays regular visits and leaves little presents ? Flowers need pruning ? flowers need debugging ? Wasps and bees buzz around all the time ? etc ..

Then you have to sit down and figure how big that pretty pink flowers gonna grow ? that blue flower how wide is it gonna spread , on and on it goes ? very stressful ?

What your after is that pretty garden low maintenance , that looks brilliant every day whatever the weather ?

BigPetes gardening tip is to line the tubs with plastic sheet fill them with shingle and poke plastic flowers in the shingle !!

Choose your coloured plastic to suit ,and wipe them down with a damp cloth if they get dirty ! and never have to worry ever again

More time for enjoying the pool and barbecue with less insects to swat as well a win win situation

Rosemary

How do you decide what colours to have?

Do they have to match your eyes?

Does this mean that you are not called green fingered but marigold fingered?

Rosemary

Big Pete

Thats the plus Rosemary !! You choose the colours and if you want to change, just pull them out either respray them or put new in !!

maybe marigold yea

I dont know why more people dont go this route ? garden always immaculate


ps; a real good tip for saving the pennys !! If you want a red flower bed say to create that flora of red behind the white colour ! Then wait til `poppy day `drop a couple of pennies in the tin and take a 100 of them ,as like the lady said to me when she shook the tin and showed me the tray i said " How much are they ?" she said as much or as little as you like ! "Oh i said can i have 2 ?" she said " have as many as you like ! " Thats good of you i said and put me pound coin in " Easy as that ! so next year i will get loads ...

Rosemary

Now now you cannot be called a true skinflint unless you go around the skips and retrieve the plastic flowers, clean them up and maybe respray if they absolutley need it.

Rosemary

chrisw

I want to live in your garden Rugbymatt sounds great!

chrisw

Lol! That's cheating Big Pete!

sunnysenorita

Many thanks for all your tips. I am looking forward to trying some of these out this weekend, I plan to visit the local garden centre.

Big Pete- hilarious but I think i'll stick to fresh.

Rosemary

We only have a roof terrace so everything has to be in pots but our lavendar and rosemary are positively thriving. Jasmine also seems to love the weather here. We have not had any success with our roses though.

Good luck with your planting, I think the main thing is to enjoy it.

Rosemary

mikelincs

My rose is in a pot and has flowered regularly since I got it. was even in flower on Christmas day.

Rosemary

I wonder what is going wrong for me then. Potted them as soon as we got them home and treating them kindly eg. sheltering them from the winds etc. Any suggestions on any extras they need if grown in a pot?

Rosemary