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GARDENING AND OUTDOOR LIVING

THE ONLY ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO GARDENING IN PORTUGAL

AND OUTDOOR LIVING 2.50 Euros

NOV 2014

Shrooming Mushroom foraging in the Mediterranean

Dry Stone Walling Be Comfy with

Comfrey Planning for a

Colourful Winter

Watch the Birdie Focus on Quince

Pond-ering in the Garden

Processionary Caterpillar

PLUS: DOWN ON THE ALLOTMENT WHAT LOOKS GOOD NOW TO DO LIST COMPETITIONS

p6

In this issue ...

Stone Age Building

p16

Shrooming Foraging for mushrooms in the Algarve

Heather Jansch

Driftwood Bronzes

Pond-ering in the Garden

p40

Caterpillar Nests

p38 Pollarding

plus ...

Protecting our Pets

p18 2

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

p10 •

What Looks Good Now -

page 4

•

To Do List November -

page 8

•

Down on the Allotment -

page 8

•

Focus on - Carissa Macrocarpa - Natal Plum page 9

•

Kitchen Corner -

page 12

•

Rosemary, The Herb of Remembrance -

page 14

•

Rogues Gallery -

page 17

•

Focus on Quince -

page 20

•

Traditional Terracotta Pots -

page 22

•

Out and About in São Brás de Alportel -

page 24

•

Planning for a Colourful Winter -

page 26

•

Living the Good Life -

page 28

•

Watch the Birdie

page 30

•

Product Review -

page 32

•

Friend or Foe -

page 33

•

Be Comfy with Comfrey -

page 34

•

Turning up the Heat -

page 36

•

Focus on Chayote - Sechium Edule

page 42

•

Green Pages Business Directory

page 43

•

Readers Letters and Competitions

page 46

Welcome to your first magazine dedicated to gardening and outdoor living in Portugal

Join Facebook group Mediterranean Plants and Problems to get in touch with fellow gardeners from all over Portugal and the Iberian peninsular.

Hello readers,

Having spent the last 2 years writing the gardening column for The Portugal News, I realised, from the many emails I received from avid readers, just how many of you love to potter around your gardens. Many of you asked me to go into more detail about the topics I covered - which was a problem, when you only have so many column inches of space allocated to you! So, with this in mind, I decided it was high time that a dedicated monthly magazine was produced, aimed specifically at gardening and outdoor living.

Welcome to Autumnal November - although I can hardly believe the topsy-turvy weather we have had this year. October certainly ranked as one of the strangest - and that had followed a record breaking September, all for the wrong reasons! Torrential rains, monsoon winds, temperatures low enough to kick-start the central heating - then in the next breath, balmy sunshine and beach weather, air conditioning back on and more sardines on the BBQ.

Like our Facebook page Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living, and get up to date info about the magazine and make suggestions about future topics to cover.

What are our gardens making of all this? We can only wait and see, but I have seen our Datura become practically stripped of foliage one week, then re-generate into full bud the next, ready to unravel its headyscented flowers.

I think our poor plants are getting very confused, with all four seasons seemingly being condensed into one. The deciduous trees don’t know whether to shed their leaves or produce a few more! Very strange indeed.

One thing I have noticed is the rise in air-borne fungal diseases and a significant increase in mealybug and scale, which seem to thrive in these dramatic rises and falls of the barometer.

However, the weather will not hamper our November edition, which is once again full of more interesting and knowledgeable information for our hobby and experienced gardeners. This month, we are foraging around the countryside in search of edible mushrooms with our guest writer Jane Page, Out and About in São Brás de Alportel, bird watching on the Ria Formosa in Quinta do Lago with Carolyn Kain, as well as doing all the much needed jobs around the garden such as Pollarding, Planning for a Colourful Winter, and tackling those dreaded caterpillar nests.

We also showcase talented sculptor Heather Jansch and her amazing driftwood bronze horses.

With a bumper issue of 48 pages, we better get on with it...

Justin Wride editor@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com www.justinwride.com

Editor: Justin Wride editor@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com Design: Karen Wride Additional Photography: Adam Bunney adam.bunney@yahoo.com 961182966; and www.dreamstime.com Content Writers: Clare Thursfield, Ginie de Weerd, Sharee Solow, Lorraine Cavanagh, Jane Page, Carolyn Kain, Julie Pickering Illustrations: Sue Wride Marketing, Advertising & Features: Samantha McGivern marketing@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com ISSN: 2183-2676 We operate a subscription service so that you need never miss an issue. Please go to: www.gardeningandoutdoorliving.com or send your details to subscriptions@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com

While every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of our advertisers, we accept no responsibility for any problem, complaints or subsequent litigation arising from readers’ response to advertisers in this magazine. We also express that the views expressed by editorial contributors are not necessarily those of the publishers. No part of this publication can be copied or reproduced without the permission of the publisher. We reserve the right to edit letters, copy or images submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material to Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living is taken as permission to publish in the magazine, including any licensed editions throughout the world. Any fees paid in Portugal include remuneration for any use in any other licensed editions. We cannot accept any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images or materials lost or damaged in the post. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions nor do we accept any liability for any loss or damage, howsoever caused, resulting from the use of the magazine. ©Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living 2014

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3

november What looks good now ...

Cestrum Nocturnum - Dama do Noite

Hebe

This should be in a category of ‘What Smells Good Now’. The shrub itself, from the Cestrum genus, is a very nondescript, messy, straggly plant that seems to stretch and spread itself in an almost impolite manner, disregarding any orderly rules. Perhaps the reason for this is that it seems to be trying to cover all bases in finding the best spot to display its creamy-like flowers that start to appear right about now. Whilst unopen, they hardly look that dramatic, but when the sun starts to set, you cannot fail to be bowled over by their scent.

Very commonly used in gardens throughout Europe, it could almost be included in this section every month as it has such a long flowering period, and a vast range of varieties.

Some can be used as hedging, some as specimen shrubs reaching over 2 metres tall, and others in delicate forms that are great when utilised in swathes or clusters.

Sweetly intoxicating, the night pollinators and moths are hooked by its fragrant breath, so much so, some people find it overwhelming, so perhaps it’s better to plant it a little away from your bedroom or kitchen, just in case.

It needs ample watering and plenty of the usual Iberian sunshine in order to thrive and it’s not too fussy in its soil conditions either.

Interestingly, all of the Hebe genus (some 60 different species plus an assortment of hybrids), are native to New Zealand, and happily you can find a lot of these in your local Iberian garden centre, some with variegated leaves, others with larger, glossy, green foliage, plus an assortment of different flowers, with pink, white, blue and dark purple being the most common forms seen here. All prefer a freedraining soil and regular watering as they can get stressed over the summer months. Once again, a mulch is beneficial to keep their roots cool.

november 4

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

They are very reasonably priced and for just under 30 euros you should get a generous assortment to add to your garden.

november - Your guide to this months’ head turners

Plumbago - Auriculata

Ipomea Indica – Morning Glory

This creeping climber or perennial, will become quite a handful if not kept in check, but you do not want to prune it too hard in the early summer as you will lose all of its brilliant, sky-blue flowers. In order to see it in its full glory, it almost has to be allowed to look unkempt and straggly through the summer, then, providing it gets plenty of sunshine, it will become awash with colour.

It’s a perfect, autumnal flowering sensation that will cover banks, ramble over rockeries or climb up pergolas or car ports. There is also a slightly darker blue variety and a white version known as ‘Alba’, but they do need to be contained.

Suckers can easily root and spread very quickly, leaving it free to smother other delicate shrubs.

I have decided to add this vigorous evergreen climber in this month’s edition even though, surprisingly, it’s quite often labelled as a noxious weed. Here in Portugal, it’s quite difficult to source at many garden centres as it hovers in and out of the invasive and banned plant category. Yes, it grows very quickly in all directions. Yes, it’s rampant and will smother other plants and trees. Yes, it needs very little attention. But if you have an ugly ruin, pig shed, bank or telegraph pole in your garden; it might be a good idea to allow this ‘weed’ to weave a trail over those unsightly objects and you will be rewarded with colours of bright blue to purple, trumpet shaped flowers from spring to autumn.

What makes it more favourable is that it will soon become drought tolerant and can adapt to all types of soil. It’s perfect as a hedge, giving a strong impact of prolonged sky-blue colour in the garden. Add some Euryops daisies or yellow chrysanthemums and you have the perfect balls of sunshine to accompany it.

I wouldn’t recommend having it around the house, or in your flower beds, but it’s ideal in the periphery and I feel it’s unjustified to be classed as a weed. It will only become an invasive pest if the lazy gardener allows it to be!

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5

Shrooming

by Jane Page

Jane Page, artist and writer, has lived in the Algarve for over twenty years, taking a keen interest in the countryside where she lives, close to the red clay belt and tile factories of Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo. A scientific journalist for much of her working life, Jane now indulges herself by writing ‘totally frothy’ historical romances under the pen name of Florrie Boleyn, and also comedy plays for the multinational, multilingual theatre group Aperitivo, based in São Brás.

Chanterelle

If you go down to the woods today, you are sure - well, maybe not sure, but at least fairly likely - to be surprised by the wide range of mushrooms. In general the Algarvians are not great mushroom hunters. Unlike their counterparts in the woods of southern France and Italy, who go hunting the truffle and other fungal delicacies at this time of year, Algarvian countryfolk tend to keep clear of the mysterious mushroom. We do not, unfortunately, have truffles themselves here in the Algarve, since they require summer rains to flourish, but we do have several other gourmet fungi, including the highly praised Chanterelle and the Caesar’s Mushroom.

According to a survey carried out during the past two years by Ana Frutuoso of the Associação de Productores Florestais of the Serra do Caldeirão - an area of hills and woods based around São Brás de Alportel, Loulé and Tavira - there are two main growing periods for mushrooms in the area: one stimulated by the autumn rains and lasting from October to February, and the other based on the spring rains and occurring in April and May. The autumn season starts with the Boletus and Amanita families and Macrolepiota Procera mushrooms, followed by the Russulas and Cortinários in November, and then the Clitocybes, Tricholomas and Lactarius families. With the cold of January, it is the turn of the Cantharellus family, some of which persist until the beginning of Spring, when the Boletus rise again, as do some of the Russulas and Lactarius.

In all, the survey identified 130 different species of mushrooms in the Serra de Caldeirão, plus another 31 species which they could not identify!

Hygrophoropsis Aurantiaca False Chanterelle 6

Scientists are still debating the position of fungi in the world, but with the latest information it seems likely that they

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

are more closely related to animals than plants, although sufficiently different from both to occupy an evolutionary niche of their own. Fungi do not possess chlorophyll and so cannot work the magic of green plants, which take energy directly from sunlight; instead they feed off the nutrients around them by secreting a stream of digestive enzymes onto the desirable substances.

Green plants do not have enzymes; this is one of the ways in which fungi are more like animals. The fungi’s enzymes degrade - or ‘predigest’ - the potential food into its basic compounds and these can then be absorbed by the fungus through its cell walls.

It sounds less than appealing, but in fact fungi are re-cyclers, a crucial part of the cycle of life, turning dead matter into a form in which it can be returned to nature to be used again by plants and animals.

Although they are mostly denizens of woodland, and are part of the ecosystem of the forest - protecting the trees and helping them to obtain water and nutrients, and breaking down dead wood - mushrooms vary in their choice of habitat, some growing on recently disturbed ground and others only flourishing where the earth has not been disturbed for many years. The Chanterelle is one which likes to be left alone, only growing in areas which have not been touched for at least fifteen years. It is one of the few mushrooms that the country people do collect – and get a good price for: Chanterelles sold in 2006 for between 10 and 20 euros per kilo. Another mushroom which, in other countries, is even more highly prized is the Amanita caesarea, but here it is ignored, the people believing it to be of no value. Or it could be that they know the story behind the name: The Amanita caesarea - Caesar’s Mushroom got its name because it was a favourite dish

of the Roman emperors, although it was also the death of one of them, Claudius, when his wife Agrippina mixed in some of the deadly Amanita phalloides with the meal.

With the help of a doctor, Xenophon, who was in the plot with Agrippina and treated Claudius with an enema of colocynth - a poison from a plant called the Bitter Apple Agrippina succeeded in killing Claudius and making her son Nero the next emperor.

The Caesar’s Mushroom is easy to identify; it has a tawny cap (deep orange red at first, fading to orange yellow with age) with a yellow stem and gills, and may be seated in a large, white, cup-like volva. Under the yellow exterior, the flesh is white. It prefers recently disturbed land in oak woods, or oak and conifer.

The Chanterelle is also a distinctive mushroom, and the only mushrooms likely to be confused with it are the False Chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, which although not particularly tasty, is not at all poisonous (it has finer, more orange gills and a darker cap) and the Jack o’Lantern mushroom Omphalotus olearius.

The Jack o’Lantern is poisonous, although not deadly. In fact several people, convinced

that whatever it was that gave them cramps and diarrhea could not possibly be this sweet smelling, tasty looking mushroom, have actually dined on them a second time.

The first obvious difference between the Chanterelle and the Jack o’Lantern is the location: Chanterelles grow on the ground - either in short grass or under trees, whereas Jack o’Lanterns grow in clusters on wood. The second difference is the gills under the cap: Chanterelles do not have true gills, but thick ‘veins’ which are forked irregularly; Jack o’Lanterns have true, sharp, non-forked gills. Another marked difference is the reason why Jack o’Lanterns got their name in the first place: wait until it is dark and you will see the gills of the Jack o’Lantern shining with a blue-green light - which must be a magical sight, but would certainly put you off eating them.

Amanita Caesarea and Boletus Edulis

Omphalotus Olearius - Jack o’Lantern

Any article on mushrooms has to end with a Health Warning. Go mushroom hunting with a good guide book and never argue with your wife.

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7

november To Do List There are always plenty of things to do in the garden but it can

November

Autumn is here - or is it? Rain, sun, rain, sun... The negative impact is the explosion of weeds, including the dreaded Bermuda Buttercup, Oxalis Pes-Caprae spreading their clover-leaf carpets across gardens and fields everywhere.

November can be a very busy month in the garden. Quite apart from the tidying up from the leaf drop and weeding, this is a good month to think about planting new trees, and hardier shrubs in the garden as they have a much longer settling in period for the roots without getting stressed by hot, baking clay in the spring/summer months.

Providing you first inform the local fire department, you can now have a garden bonfire to get rid of all those cuttings,

be a bit daunting to know which are the most important ones to

do and when. Each month, we will give you a new To Do list so you can be prepared and ready for the year ahead.

waste and clippings built up through the previous season.

Ornamental grasses and cannas will, in time, get leggy and scruffy so this is a good time to cut them right back to ground level ready for next year, plus any of your herbaceous perennials.

This is also a good time to add bulbs and even start preparing a wild flower meadow.

There’s plenty to do in your allotment as you continue seeding your winter vegetables, digging in any well rotted manure or compost for next season’s planned crop of peas, beans, onions, leeks and spinach.

Every month in Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living, we will dedicate a section just for the self-sufficient allotment style gardeners amongst us. Each article will cover what to seed and when, tips on companion planting, correct soils, mulching, composts, when to harvest; plus information on the different styles from square foot planting, to lasagna beds and keyhole gardening.

I am drawing my experience from a ‘jump in at the deep end’ type of experiment I did over 10 years ago where I took on an acre of baked hard, clay soil close to the sea that had been unused for decades.

Down on the

Allotment

by Justin Wride

It didn’t take long. Before the end of May/early June, I was inundated with produce.

The soil temperature was now constantly warm and I was yielding a bumper harvest. The French Dwarf Beans really surprised me - I had so many of them.

Crunching them raw as I went along was bliss, but the basket kept filling up.

However, I was disappointed with my runner beans. They soon wrapped themselves around their bamboo wigwams, produced plenty of flowers yet very little crop.

Of those that did develop I noticed that if I left them too long, they would become stringy, so I had to pick them when they were only half-formed in order to get the best taste. I was also getting mixed success from 8

My aim was to grow as many varieties of vegetables and herbs as possible without any chemicals or pesticides. Within 9 months I was borderline vegetarian as my experimental methods exceeded way beyond my expectations and I could not eat, supply or give away enough of my healthy vegetable kingdom.

I learnt the hard way, by trial and error - and let me tell you, there were many of them! But the experience taught me so much about organic gardening I wanted to share it with you. I realise that most of you will not want to go to the extremes that I did but the lessons are still the same. So, following on from last month, this is my story...

two types of beetroot and carrots.

just one, instead of needed two visits!

I realised that despite my soil being very fertile, some areas would have benefitted from a sandier trench being added first - the beetroots and carrots for example. A lesson learnt for next time.

One of my other great successes was the salad bowl lettuce department.

I had a constant supply of fresh leaves from radicchio, rocket, Lollo Rossa, Romaine, lambs lettuce, spinach and a lovely named ‘red-snake’ variety.

The out and out winners were my tomatoes. I had ranges of cherry, plum, vine, yellow, black and a beef range, that all thrived surrounded by Genovese, Neapolitan and Thai basil.

I didn’t get one bug on this crop, only a slight stem rot and some split tomatoes from my exuberant watering duty one particular week to try and save time by doing

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

the

So, armed with a colander, I selected the best leaves of each and together with their bodyguards of nasturtium leaves and flowers, I rinsed them in sodium-flouridefree spring water, packaged them up and set off to see if I could find some buyers.

Straight away I found a

local Italian restaurant who ended up buying bags and bags off me saying that it never spoiled and every plate came back empty. My friends, family - and even some of my clients raved about the taste and swore they would never buy a lettuce again!

I had another glut of tomatilloes - known as a husk or green tomato, which provided me with a perfect base for salsa chutney - all 100kgs of them!!

The peppers, chillies, aubergine, melons and cucumbers were also starting to gain pace and by mid June I was panicking!!

Focus on ...

Carissa Macrocarpa Natal Plum

A very underrated evergreen shrub, so if you are looking for something immensely scented with wonderful white petalled flowers, this is the one for you.

It’s happy to be situated near exposed locations and will even tolerate the salt-laden coastal airs. An ideal ornamental shrub that can actually be encouraged to grow into a 2m high tree, or even a hedge. It’s not something that has been done too often, but I don’t see why it isn’t used more often in this way. It produces some nasty thorns, so it would provide a ‘pretty’ impenetrable boundary to your property.

It responds well to pruning, it attracts bees and butterflies and the scent is jasmin-esque being richly

fragrant throughout the spring, summer and autumn.

And as an added bonus, once the flowers have finished, it’s followed by red, plum shaped fruit that are edible raw or can be made into a jam which is highly nutritious and rich in vitamin C. All you have to give it in return is a drip line of irrigation (if used for hedging), or regular summer watering (if placed in a pot), plus plenty of sunshine if you want to get the best of the fruit and scent.

This little gem ticks lots of boxes - small tree, hedge/ barrier, low maintenance, highly scented, pretty flowers, eco-friendly, edible... Surely no more convincing is needed?

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9

Pond-ering in the Garden

There has always been a fascination with running water, especially when set amongst parks and gardens. Dog walkers, parents with young kids, and couples in love, will all be drawn to a lake, river or waterfall to spend precious moments in relaxation, sitting on the park bench gazing at this life giving force of nature. Babylonians and Egyptians used it as a focal point in courtyards to bring a feeling of peace and tranquillity, and gladly this tradition continues to this day. Not only do water features help the wildlife, they also add a cool, lush look to the landscape, and provide a serene, relaxing atmosphere that can’t fail to decrease our stress levels in everyday life.

Here in sunny Portugal, most people’s ‘water feature’ (if they can afford it) is a swimming pool, which is probably the most expensive commodity to have in water bills and upkeep – especially if someone forgets to turn the tap off and you end up flooding the garden!! We all know that if you are reliant on water from the local Câmara, irrigation for lawns especially, can be a very costly affair. Just a small lawn of approx. 40sqm will add around 60-80 euros per month to your water bill in order to keep it green and healthy, therefore many people are now opting for garden designs that reduce water costs, but still retain a lush, tropical vibrancy. The obvious landscaping choices would be gravel gardens, drip irrigation and the use of more 10

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

indigenous plants, to reduce water bills; but surprisingly, there are some ponds and water features that also help to reduce costs, allowing you to use more water loving plants.

I have just taken up my small lawn, and in its place I have decided to dig out a kidney shaped area for a pond, complete with tumbling waterfall. Yes, it sounds grand, and I am sure you will all think it will cost a small fortune, but apart from my hard toil and labour, it really only needs a liner, a pump, a few flat rocks as edging stones – and good dose of imagination.

Now, before you get out your shovel, there are a couple of basic decisions you need to make – what do I want to put in it, and where is the best place to put it? If you plan to add some ornamental fish or perhaps the more exotic Koi, you need to think about how hot the water is likely to get close to the surface during the summer months as it could quite possibly reach temperatures of a warm bath and although poached fish is quite nice for the dinner table, there are other, more sanitised ways of cooking them which might be more palatable! So, if fish are your relaxation aid of choice, you need to make sure they have a cooler, deeper area that they can snooze in while the sun is at its hottest. Aim for a depth of at least 1 metre as the bare minimum.

Once dug out, I recommend you lay an underlay before laying the liner, especially if you find you have a base of sharp stones. An effective and inexpensive way of doing this is with a bed of sand, which will smooth out any rough edges. Once that’s done, lay a Butyl PVC liner with a minimum thickness of 0.75mm - there are thicker and thinner liners available but the thicker the liner, the more difficult it is to bend and shape to your needs.

Make sure you cut your liner to overlap the edges of the pond by at least 12 inches as the weight of the water will pull some of the liner into the pond.

It’s always best to locate your pond in an area that doesn’t have the full heat of the summer sun all day long, so a large evergreen tree or a pepper tree to create shade in the afternoon will not only look good, but help reduce the algae levels too. No pond will be entirely free from algae but there are things you can do to keep it at a minimum with a good balance of pH, temperature and water control. Apart from restricting sunlight and heat, especially in the hot Mediterranean summer sun, we are blessed with a whole range of plants that will provide protection, colour and oxygenation for your pond. Water Lillies (Nymphaea) are probably my favourite, with their large round pads floating on the water surface, it’s no wonder they are quite often referred to as Queens of the Garden Pond. Their colours and sizes are quite endless but you will need to choose carefully as colour combinations need to be taken into consideration. You will also need to keep them to a minimum as they can be quite vigorous in growth and end up taking over your pond and upsetting the whole balance of your pond’s eco-system. Water Lillies will bloom for several months and, as long as you have depths between 12 inches and 1 metre, have several hours of sunshine and keep them away from splashy fountains, you should be able to look forward to little islands of yellows, pinks and reds.

The category of plants that grow around a pond’s edge are known as Marginals, and cover a huge spectrum from those just requiring a wet soil, to those needing to be sat in several centimetres of water in order to survive.

I have seen many people mistakenly plant them in rockery beds and then wonder why they haven’t fared too well – Cannas are a prime example. They really do love wet, peaty conditions and look great on the edge of ponds. I tend to use the ‘mini’ or ‘nana’ varieties for smaller ponds, but for anything larger, you can use the standard Canna Lillies, which will stretch up to about a metre in height. If you want some plants to sit in the water itself, try Bullrushes (Typhas) and Arum Lillies (Zantedeschia Aethiopica). I would use the smaller species of Bullrushes, but you will still need to carry out yearly autumnal maintenance to thin out all of your water plants to stop them choking the pond’s resources.

The other consideration for your pond or lake is what type of pump you want with regard to water splash and flow. A pump will provide plenty of aeration and some great visual effects as well as reduce mosquito buildup, as they cannot reproduce in moving water. I would recommend a good, recognised brand of submersible pond pump, which can be connected to a timer switch. It doesn’t need to run all the time, especially not through the night, but 6-8 hours a day will keep the bugs at bay and the fish happy. A pond design I have used many times, positions the pump so that the water flows out of a terracotta pot or urn and cascades down onto rocks or stones before entering the pond.

So, there you have it. Once the pond has been built, you just need some more planting at the pond’s periphery, such as a mixture of different ornamental grasses and stipas. Finish with a weed membrane and washed river gravel. Of course, as with any water feature, you need to consider the safety of young children, so you might have to fence or gate your pond to keep the little monsters out! Then, in your little haven, you can add a comfortable seating area, a book and a cup of tea and your private oasis is complete. I can feel my stress levels coming down already.

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11

Kitchen Corner

Cilantro Steak His name is André Simões and he is the Hilton Vilamoura Executive Chef, in charge of three restaurants, three bars, room service and banqueting.

Born in Montreal, Canada, André came to Portugal aged 9 and started to get to know better, the Portuguese culture that his Portuguese family in Canada had just introduced him to.

When André turned 15 he had his first contact with the kitchen, leaning how to cook at home for his family. He immediately felt passionate about the art and decided to take a two year course to learn Traditional Portuguese and International Cuisine, after which he came to the Algarve to work at Le Meridien Penina.

Chef Bernard Luciana from Penina was his most important mentor and is his most important reference.

André’s dedication and persistence took him to Le Meridien Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and to the Cameron House in Scotland, a resort with four restaurants, one with 1 Michelin Star and one with 4 Rosettes.

At the Hilton Vilamoura, as Executive Chef, he has the opportunity to do what he loves most about the job - to be creative, inspire his team members and provide customers with memorable experiences.

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© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

Vegetables

Serves 4

Boil the baby Brussels sprouts, fennel, broad beans and violet potato at low temperature until soft and reserve.

Vegetable Garnish 2 garlic cloves peeled 50g fennel 2 purple onions peeled and finely sliced 30g baby Brussels sprouts 100g tomato without seeds 50g broad beans 50g of mushroom mix 50g sweet potato 50g violet potato - juliana Salt & Pepper Olive Oil

Sauté the boiled vegetables with the garlic cloves, tomato and mushroom mix in olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Sauté the violet potato with butter and fry the sweet potato in olive oil.

Sirloin Steak In a pan, fry the smoked ham slices, then the steak and finally the foie gras.

Poach the egg in boiling water with a pinch of vinegar.

Dress the plate with all elements to your taste and finish with the veal jus.

Sirloin Steak 2 slices of smoked ham 1 piece of foie gras 1 egg 200g sirloin steak 50ml veal jus Herbs Olive Oil Butter Vinegar

Out and About ...

All the staff at Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living would like to thank ...

•

Madrugada and the Hilton Hotel, Vilamoura for all their help and assistance in allowing us to promote the magazine during the ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ event on 27th September.

•

Everyone that came to visit our stand at the Quinta Shopping Festival of Flowers, Quinta do Lago on 25th October

We look forward to meeting more of our readers at the annual Rotary Porches Christmas Market at Galeria Arte Algarve in Lagoa during the weekend of 22-23 November, 2014. The market will be open both days from 10.00am to 18.00pm.

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13

Clare Thursfield grew herbs on a small commercial scale in the UK before moving to Portugal in 2001. She now enjoys the challenge and rewards of gardening in the Algarve countryside where the wonderful climate is particularly well-suited to the herbs she loves to grow and use.

Rosemary The Herb of Remembrance Salmon with Rosemary and Pink Peppercorn Sauce Serves 2

2 salmon fillets (approx 160g each) 25g butter 1 rounded tsp pink peppercorns, lightly crushed 2 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped 4 tbsp rose wine 2 tbsp creme fraiche Heat butter in frying pan and fry salmon over moderate heat for about 4 minutes each side, depending on thickness.

Remove to serving plates and keep warm.

Stir peppercorns and rosemary into pan.

Add wine, a little salt and stir and bubble to reduce and thicken slightly. Add creme fraîche, heat through and spoon sauce over salmon.

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The common and generic names for rosemary are derived from the old

Latin names rosmarinus or ros maris – ‘dew of the sea’ – probably sonamed for its habit of growing close to the sea in those times. Charming folklore and tradition seem always to have surrounded rosemary. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary, wishing to rest, lay her cloak upon a white flowering rosemary bush, the flowers then turning to the colour blue of her cloak. The ancient Greeks and Romans valued rosemary both as a culinary and medicinal herb, when it was believed to improve brain function and memory and so was worn in the hair by students. Often referred to as ‘the herb of remembrance, friendship and fidelity’, it was once a custom to place rosemary on graves. Similarly, even today Australian Anzac Day is commemorated by the wearing of rosemary on coat lapels.

A combination of oils, tannins, bitters and resin accounts for rosemary’s therapeutic properties and is the reason it is still used today in many herbal preparations, including tonics for the circulation and liver, anti-rheumatic liniments, antiseptics and sedatives and in perfumes, shampoos and bath products. Easy-to-make rosemary remedies include a wonderfully soothing tea to ease away nervous headaches and tension; a great hair conditioner made by adding a strong rosemary infusion to hair-rinsing water and layering sprigs of rosemary between clothes for an effective moth repellent.

An aromatic evergreen, rosemary makes an attractive, bushy plant with small, thin green leaves, silvery-white on the underside. Thriving on dry Algarve hillsides, the tiny mauve flowers attract bees, resulting in the delicious honey for sale at local markets. Although rosemary prefers a well-drained soil, it is a very undemanding plant and does well in most situations. It looks especially good grown against a wall and makes an ideal pot or tub plant. Cuttings, with or without a heel, root very easily. Some pruning may be necessary to keep older plants in good shape.

As fresh rosemary leaves are available all year round, it is not necessary to harvest for storage and dried leaves may have too strong a flavour anyway for most culinary purposes. Spike a few fresh sprigs into roasting lamb and chicken or scatter on to hot charcoal under grilling fish or meat to impart extra flavour; good too in sauces, marinades and with vegetables, especially potatoes, aubergines and courgettes.

Pretty bottles of rosemary oil and vinegar make very thoughtful and useful presents. To prepare the oil, mix together 600ml of sunflower or light olive oil and 6 tablespoons of lightly crushed rosemary leaves. Seal and leave to infuse in a warm place for about 3 weeks, shaking the jar occasionally.

Strain the oil into clean bottles, add a fresh sprig of rosemary to each and seal tightly. For rosemary vinegar, wash and dry 50g of rosemary leaves, pack into a jar and cover with 600ml of white wine or cider vinegar.

Seal and leave to infuse for at least one month then strain into clear glass bottles; add fresh rosemary sprigs and seal.

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15

Stone Age Dry stone walling has been

around for thousands of years – well, since the Stone Age funnily enough, and has always been synonymous with strength and longevity.

If any of you have been lucky enough to visit the major historical landmarks around the world, you will have marvelled at the engineering genius that managed to create structures that would outlast countless generations of awe-inspired tourists. Did you know that Tutankhamun, for example, visited the great pyramids at Giza as a boy and wondered at their might and majesty – the pyramids at that time being already over 1000 years old.

My Celtic ancestors knew to their cost, the strategic advantage a stone-built castle had over their wooden alternatives, and that same analogy can be applied today to the choice of what material to use to build retaining structures around our gardens.

Thankfully, the only invaders we need to worry about are the local farmer’s cows, so adding battlements is not going to be necessary – although, maybe that depends upon your neighbours!!

What people don’t realize is that a minimal mortar ‘dry’ stone wall is considerably cheaper than its conventional brick and pillar counterpart. Not only will it easily outlast the latter and be virtually maintenance free as well as fire, water and insect resistant; if properly built, it can also withstand earthquakes.

Its construction does not deplete natural resources, is environmentally friendly and aesthetically complements your garden.

Surely a win, win solution.

Mortared walls degrade over time as rain and fluctuations in temperature serve to crack and push apart the seams. A well built stone wall drains naturally without 16

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

damage. Significantly, concrete footings are not needed which also saves in additional labour and material costs. All you want is a hammer, pick and an inventive mind.

Personally, I find nothing more creative than solving a large jigsaw puzzle of 4 or 5 tons of local rock dumped before me. To begin with, you need to lay two rows of larger rocks about 10 – 15cm apart. Now the trick is that your wall, whether it’s a retaining wall or a stand-alone boundary, will need to lean in towards a counteracting balance.

So, if your property is built into a hillside or on a slope and you want to terrace your garden to grow your plants or vegetables, the landfill behind the wall will be your counterbalance. Similarly, if the wall is to be a boundary wall, then the two rows of rock will gently slope inwards against each other, giving both sides additional gravitational strength. In between these rows you need to tamp in small stones and soil or a small amount of mortar. The skill comes from selecting rocks that fit neatly together as if they were made for each other. The final row will be just one rock wide and because the structure slopes slightly inward, any ground movement or settlement locks the structure more tightly together as their flexibility allows for slight shifts without damaging the overall structure.

A favourite tip of mine would be to add in a few annual flower seeds or bulbs to your soil infill, and in a few months time you will have pockets of colour bursting from the gaps and seams between the stones. Try adding Antirrhinums, poppy seeds or simply a selection of wild flower seeds and see what happens!!

Hopefully, the solid walls you create will last as long as Hadrian’s and inspire any future tourists stopping by from the next Galaxy.

Rogues Gallery

A quick-fire guide to recognising the bad guys in your garden.

Mealy Bug eggs sacs (shown), produce different types of scale insects that devour and feed off sap from a plants new growth. It can be hard to detect as they are often hidden under leaves.

The sacs are often white and woolly in appearance and are often protected by ants as the mealybugs expel a sweet, sticky substance that the ants love. The perfect Bonnie & Clyde partnership.

Aphids are another common sap-feeder protected by ants, and can be yellow, black or green. They love the tender new shoots on hibiscus, roses and oleanders.

Often a blast of water is the best treatment or remove them with your fingers rather than resort to chemicals.

The Colorado Potato Beetle is probably the most destructive pest for any potato grower, and has been responsible for complete harvests in recent history. It is still prevalent today and has been recently spotted munching away in Monchique. It is still a major threat to production and has become resistant to pesticides.

The Palm Weevil is totally responsible for the demise of many of the Phoenix palms throughout Spain and Portugal, by laying their eggs inside the palm, who then eat the palm from the inside out. They are very difficult to treat and horticulturalists throughout Iberia are concerned about it.

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17

Pollarding If a tree has simply become too large and unmanageable, an eye-sore or a potential danger to buildings, electricity or phone cables; then quite often, it will be ear-marked for removal or pollarding. Of the two, the latter is much more sustainable and is a commonly used woodland technique, as it saves the tree yet removes the offending main growth of long stems or trunks, which reduces height and also encourages new clusters at the top of each remaining trunk.

Pollarding is carried out on trees of heights of over 2 metres or so, to help define its architecture, shape and style. There is no set guideline when you should decide to undertake this

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Š Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

sort of pruning - often this is decided upon when the tree reaches a size you are happy with, before it starts to obscure views or create too much shade. In theory, as long as the tree has already developed 5 or 6 lateral trunk formations it can be pollarded, although you have to be careful with some deciduous varieties with high sap levels such as maple, almond and prunus as the ‘bleeding’ that occurs from cutting limbs can leave the tree open to infections.

Having said that, it is widely thought that pollarding your tree can extend its life by a couple of hundred years, as weather damage is contained due to its reduced size.

Late winter or early spring is the best time when the tree is in its dormant period. Aim to cut sub-branches back to the main trunk, so that when the foliage is formed, you can lightly prune into a topiary effect or balls of different shapes.

Throughout Europe, beech, robinias, horse chestnut, willow, oak and mulberry are often pruned in this way, but perhaps the most common tree to be shaped in this way is the olive, as it can really show off the characteristic gnarled trunk that is so highly sought after as a garden centrepiece.

In general, it is the hardwood varieties that are more suited to pollarding. I have seen pepper trees (Schinus Molle) and Callistemons successfully shaped in this way, plus of course the bays and other laurels. Citrus trees too, can be formed into neat little balls, but obviously you would pay the price in loss of fruit and scent.

If in any doubt, ask your gardener or a local tree surgeon for expert advice. In any case, at least you’ll have plenty of kindling for the fire.

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19

it’s best to keep it away from your apples and pears to prevent cross contamination.

Fungicides seem to be the only option at keeping these contagious spores at bay, although on my journeys through the Iberian peninsular, I see quite a few quince trees growing healthy and wild with an abundance of fruit on them, so it can’t be too much of a problem.

The Greek goddess of

love, Aphrodite, was known to think the ‘golden apple’ (or quince), sacred. Ancient Greek wedding ceremonies had friends and family presenting a quince to the bride to help fertility as it was thought that if she ate copious amounts of the fruit, the resulting children would be intelligent and industrious.

Medieval menus throughout Europe featured an abundance of quince, as it was thought to aid digestion, and in 1429, when Joan of Arc arrived in Orléans to liberate the French from the English, she received the honoured gift of cotignac - a clear gel made from boiled quince juice and sugar.

All over the world, from ancient Rome, to Korea and the Americas, the quince has had its revered place in historic cuisine, yet skip forward a couple of centuries, and somehow it has lost its once legendary status.

Its sweeter tasting cousins - the apple and pear, have completely taken over as the hard fruit of choice and the quince has been relegated to the status of ‘speciality fruit’ in many commercialised countries, although it is still grown in abundance in Turkey, South America and much of the Mediterranean, where it is still used today as part of the everyday diet.

Sadly, the fruit itself doesn’t do much for its modernday image - often misshapen, blemished and coated with a sticky white film, it has escaped the attention of the corporate Xeroxing, where each one has to pass the utopian hypermarket test. Nor can you eat it straight from the tree unless you have a particular liking for acidic, astringent rocks. To bring out the quince’s particular qualities it has to be cooked, where the flesh turns a delicate pink and emits a delightful perfume-like fragrance.

The tree itself is prone to blight and fungal diseases, so 20

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

They are easily grown as simple, free-standing trees, attaining heights of around 4 metres, but in order to get the fruit to ripen (and they stay on the tree for a very long time), they need a sunny position. Not fussy of soils, they do however prefer a mulch around the base to prevent the roots from getting too hot during the long summer months. The key to knowing when the fruit is ready to harvest is in their colour, which changes from green to a golden hue, accentuated with a sweet, floral aroma.

The Spanish use the fruit to make a paste known as Membrillo - or quince cheese, which is created by cooking it slowly until the colour changes from yellow to almost orange. You can also boil it over a high heat and mash it together with sugar, its high pectin levels creating a jelly that you can eat with cheese and cold meat.

Whatever method you use, you will likely need to experiment a few times until you get a combination that works for you, but then as its crop is so prolific, you can afford to be adventurous. However, once you have mastered it, you can impress all your friends and neighbours when you invite them round for tea!

Focus on ...

Quince

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21

Designing your Outdoor Space Traditional Terracotta pots

From biblical times to present day, terracotta (from the Italian ‘baked earth’), has been used for sculptures, bricks, roofing tiles - and of course, the familiar garden pot.

Start by placing groups of pots of various heights around your trees and beside a shrub which has seen better days.

Building upon this experience Samantha now specializes in restyling the home and garden in Portugal with a particular emphasis on the re-sale property market.

Her focus is always on taking a practical approach to all projects from small to large scale home & garden face lifts.

“In our daily travels from east to west of the Algarve on the N125, we are constantly passing gorgeous large displays of garden ‘art’ - classical urns, figures, planters, traditional pots... all on offer in the artisan shops lining the road. The choice is baffling, as not everyone can envisage how they can add something so individual to their gardens and manage to pull it off without it looking awkward and stiff.

So, I am here to help you answer the questions - what should I buy and then where do I place it..?”

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© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

Use broken pots as edging of your pathways to break the hard finish of the gravel, or as part of a feature with old traditional farming implements.

Choose a particular shaped pot you like and show it off by positioning it on your steps leading down into the garden, or at the end of your terrace, to bring a traditional finish to a modern aspect.

Photo courtesy of Cape Gardens

Samantha McGivern, over the past 20 years, has worked with internationally acclaimed clients Bourne Leisure, Warner Brothers, De Vere Hotel Group, Halifax Building Society, Rowntree plc in delivering styling solutions with both hard and soft furnishings.

Could you ever count the variety of different shapes of the Portuguese terracotta pots which are standing in our many garden centres and outdoor outlets? A million-strong army of baked clay, they seem to be there from one year to another throughout all weathers, never changing, just waiting for a special person to see their simple, but effective design deliverance - and what a difference to your garden they could make. You will be surprised how sometimes a simple, plain piece can change for the better, a very nondescript view or area. Have fun searching through all that is out there - it can become addictive.

Photo courtesy of Cape Gardens

Bring out your artistic side by creating your own ‘exhibit’ with a collection of pots of different shapes and sizes grouped together.

I love applying stains to old pots to bring life into the shape. Go for a dark, rich colour to enhance the shape.

Use large terracotta pots as a water feature, or if you are lucky enough to have the space; as a dramatic entrance to your property

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23

Out and About in...

São Brás de The tourist office is in the central square of the town, and the staff are very helpful, providing a lot of information on places to go, and things to see. Many of the streets are very old and still cobbled; turn to your left as you come out of the Tourist Office and you will find yourself in the old town. Wander around and see how many architectural features you can spot. There is also a Roman trail, and the Centro Explicativo e de Acolhimento da Calçadinha is the place to find out where to go. The local trail is about 1.5 kilometres, and the centre is open Tuesday-Saturday. Part of the trail passes very close to the main church (the Igreja Matriz) which is also worth a visit.

There is a wonderful view over the valley from there. The old episcopal palace, the history of which dates back to the late 16th century, is now better known for the Verbena Garden. This is not large, but pleasant to visit, and contains a domed fountain bearing the arms of bishop D. António Pereira da Silva (1704-1715). São Brás, of course, has a flourishing market, with additional stalls spreading out around the town each Saturday (not to mention the flea market held every 3rd Sunday in the town).

If you happen to be in the area on the last Saturday morning of the month, look out for some mouth-watering gastronomical demonstrations by local chefs.

São

Brás de Alportel is a typical small town, in that it appears to be a place where nothing much happens, but if you look more closely, there is a lot bubbling under the surface. The town is a 10 minute drive from Loulé, and is currently celebrating 100 years as a municipality; there is a programme of events related to this that continues until June 2015.

Central to the cultural life of the town is the Museu do Trajo, essentially a costume museum, but in fact so much more.

Established in 1986, the museum is located in a 19th century mansion, which used to be the property of Miguel Andrade, a prime mover in developing the town’s cork industry all those years ago.

There are many cafés and restaurants scattered around the town and nearby area, so if you want to round off your visit with lunch or dinner, one often recommended by locals is Luis dos Frangos (probably the best known restaurant in town and always referred to by the local expats as Chicken Louie’s) - long tables, cheap chicken and basic Portuguese food, very noisy, but consistently popular.

If al fresco eating is your preference, then

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Alportel

a dance at the museum on Sunday 9th at 1530, if you want to have a go. I spoke to Ana at the museum, to find out about the procession, and was treated to an impromptu performance of the traditional song that goes with these festivities.

how about visiting the Parque da Fonte Férrea, just beyond the small village of Alportel. It’s a perfect spot for a walk and a picnic, and you can also wander through Alportel itself en route. If you are more interested in riding, there is a stables on the same road on your way out of São Brás.

They offer rides, of course, but if you want to travel slowly without actually sitting on a horse, you can also book a trip with a horse and cart. The town is so close to the open countryside, you will have wonderful views.

There are often processions taking place in towns and villages throughout the Algarve, and São Brás has its own town band, which marches through the streets on high days and holidays. One tradition that died out in the 1940’s was the procession to celebrate the feast day of São Martinho, which took place in November, essentially to celebrate the arrival of the new wine. Neighbours would visit each other, taste each other’s wine (a throwback to Roman times and Bacchus perhaps?) and there would be dancing and an evening procession, which always included a mule and cart bearing an extremely large wine vat, a crowd bearing candles, men in costume on horseback, roast chestnuts and a good party afterwards.

There is still a nod to the tradition in the many roast chestnut street stalls that appear at this time of year. For the first time in many years, the museum and the local council are reviving this tradition, and the procession will take place on Tuesday 11th November at 1830, starting from the museum and heading off around the main streets of the town. The party will be left to the spectators to organise, although there is

Ai meu rico São Martinho Que já não bebo um copinho São Martinho papa vamos ao larápa Sao Martinho pinho vamos ao copinho To my rich St Martin As I haven’t yet had a drink St Martin, little father, let’s go to the rotgut, St Martin of the pine trees, let’s go for a little drink!

(Part Two to follow: we found so much to talk about when visiting São Brás that we will continue this next month, with much more information on the Museu do Trajo, festive events, restaurants and local outings)

Snippets...

For those who are finding that the mosquitos are still abundant, try taking a pot of basil into the bedroom and rub the leaves to release

its

distinctive

aroma, and you’ll be able to sleep bite free.

Mosquitos

have

an

aversion to all types of the basil family.

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25

Planning for a Colourful Winter

It’s November already and Xmas is just around the corner.

The fire is lit at night and chestnuts are dropping from the trees. Winter has arrived leaving plenty of jobs to do in the garden, but often it’s only the very dedicated and hardy souls that put the hours in between showers to keep the garden ticking over until spring. For those that do, there are some ideal jobs to be done between late November and the end of January in your Mediterranean garden, such as planting new trees and shrubs and transplanting and pruning existing ones. But most of your time will be taken up with battling the weeds as they drink as much as they can and race to grow to maturity before you get the chance to cut them down to size – or is that teenagers again? I get confused! Anyway, it’s best to keep control over them before they go wild and spoil all your hours of hard work.

One of the commonest questions asked at this time of year is “How can I bring more colour into my garden?” Well, whether you have inherited your garden, planted it yourself – or even had a landscape gardener design it for you, one of the biggest challenges we all face is to create an all year garden. So many gardens have an abundance of flora from spring to early summer, but revert to green foliage for the other 8 months. We all know that spring is famous for plants to come alive with flowers, but with some careful planning and planting, there are ways to increase flowering times through the seasons by hunting out species that will flower through the cooler months. If you, or your landscape gardener, have managed that, then you can both hold your heads up high. On the other hand – if you are a landscape gardener and hope your client only likes the colour green, then it’s time to look for another job!!

One of the biggest challenges for a contract gardener is when a client gives them their scheduled arrival dates for the following year and asks them to make sure that their shrubs will be in full glory for their visit – even when the dates are as far apart as June and November!! The Chelsea Flower Show contestants are only expected to command 26

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nature for 1 week out of 52!! Still, it is possible to keep everyone happy by planning ahead.

My first ever article I wrote for the Portugal News was entitled ‘Preparation, Preparation, Preparation’ – and in gardening terms, that refers to Soil, Water and Sunshine. The plant will tell you when it’s not happy, and the reason will usually be something to do with one of these three. I get asked why a certain bougainvillea isn’t flowering. Well, all flowers like sunlight and the temperate and semi-tropical varieties want it in abundance, so if they don’t get enough, they will tell you. If your climbers are just full of green leaves and no buds or flowers, it’s probably because they are either facing the wrong way or engulfed by half a dozen trees. So, if necessary, go out and do some trimming and watch exactly where the sun rises and sets, both during the summer and winter months (there is a difference), and see how much of this precious light falls, not only on your climbers, but on all your shrubs and flowering trees. Soil and water is, of course, of equal importance, as is drainage, but as I’ve already covered those in previous articles, I won’t go into them again here, but suffice to say that these factors need to be addressed if you want the most from your ‘seasonal’ plants.

When sourcing your plants for your winter garden, don’t forget that colour is not just derived from flowers alone.

There are some equally stunning colours to see from just the leaves, trunks and foliage. Try to add at least 30-40% of reds, silvers, lime greens and variegated varieties into your garden, some of which, have little or nondescript flowers, but they more than make up for flower loss through their leaf colour.

Now let’s look at what looks good for the winter months.

Your starter for ten is the glorious Pyrostegia Venusta or Flame Vine (pictured above.) With flame in its name, you know it’s going to be hot, and this is a bright orange

scorcher. If you want a wow factor climber to take over during the winter, ready to pass on to the scented jasmines in Feb/March, then you must plant this in your garden. Let it grow over a carport or gazebo, give it plenty of the basic elements as discussed earlier, and it will brighten up any day during the winter.

The Tecoma Capensis or Cape Honeysuckle is another climber in the orange category that will soon start to display to its full glory and will happily flower into the depths of the winter.

For the tree department, I’m sure you are all familiar with the almond tree blossom and the beautiful yellow mimosas, which are famous across the Mediterranean, but another tree that is often overlooked is the Cercis Siliquastrum or Judas Tree (pictured opposite), which doesn’t grow much bigger than 8-10 metres. You might recognise its purple/ pink flowers in spring, but I prefer this tree during the autumn when its serrated leaves take on a lovely light chestnut colour and it sprouts purple pods that last into the winter. It will grace any garden from late autumn through to spring, as will the Lagerstroemia Indica or Crepe Myrtle, a small tree that will barely reach 5 metres with beautiful pink or rose flowers that continue right through the autumn, and like the Judas Tree, has wonderful changes in foliage from dark green to yellow and orange/red. Even the tree trunk doesn’t fail to disappoint, with tinges of pink and shades of grey as it matures with age. Other trees that have long or late flowering seasons are the Chorisia Speciosa or Kapok Tree (pictured below), and the Datura or Angel’s Trumpet.

colours throughout the year. But for those of you who are devoid of regular water, try Aeoniums, Agaves, Echeveria and Aloes, which all have different variegated streaks.

Another favourite in the variegated category is the Coprosmas Repens or Mirror Plant. It doesn’t have any great flowers, but the leaves are always shiny and glossy with wonderful mixtures or variegation; one in particular is the Rainbow Surprise, which, as the name suggests, has leaves that keep changing through the seasons. These are great for the winter garden and stand out well in decorative gravel.

So, there you have it, a little taste of what’s on offer through the autumn and winter.

As for colourful shrubs, make sure you have plenty of Hibiscus, Teucrium, Lantana, Hebes and Viburnum Tinus in your garden, and you will always have a kaleidoscope of

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27

With the change in weather, the change of seasons is very visible around the garden and especially the vegetable plot. Some of the tomato plants have completely given up and died literally overnight. So the big clean up and clear out has started. Soon there will be a lot of empty space in the raised beds, so I cannot resist a drive up to Loulé market to buy lettuce, different varieties of cabbages and anything else which attracts my attention. Why can’t I contain myself when buying vegetables? I end up with more than 150 little plants, and realise that I have my work cut out for me. After an afternoon of hard manual labour, I am very content with the results and hope to harvest in the weeks/months to come.

Around the house and terrace, Autumn is showing too. I dread the coming months as I just do not like winter - the short days, the low temperatures; my energy levels go down, it’s almost like hibernation is approaching. I need to brighten up the place and move plants around, and the best way to do this is to go plant shopping! This is a great excuse to visit some garden centres, nurseries and friends, and I return home on several occasions with carloads of plants, realising that I have only bought grey foliage plants to brighten up the place! chicken egg. It has a sweet flavour which tastes like pineapple, hence the name pineapple guava. The fruit falls to the ground when it is ripe and at its fullest flavour. Thrives in Portugal. My 1,5 metres shrub provided me with 5 kilos of tasty fruits this year!

Ginie de Weerd was born and raised in Arboretum Trompenburg in Rotterdam, a well known botanical garden, known for its varieties of Rhododendrons. She also set up and managed a large garden centre in Holland. After many years working “too hard” she decided to move to Portugal to concentrate on setting up a business importing non-evasive plants and their subspecies not seen in the Algarve before.

Artemisia Schmidtiana - beautiful soft silvery leaves, easy growing and cultivation, planted mainly for its foliage. A treasure which is not always easy to find in the Algarve. Thrives in partly shaded areas and will require some watering.

Euphorbia - quite difficult to find different varieties in the Algarve unfortunately, quite surprising though as they could potentially thrive here. They add colour and texture to any garden and terrace. Many varieties grow really well in pots.

Westrengia Fruticosa – (Coastal Rosemary, Australia) A wonderful silver-leaved shrub which flowers almost all year round, in lavender blue, white or even pink. Very hardy and drought resistant, does well in almost every soil. A great addition to any garden or terrace.

Feijoa - a species in the myrtle family, from South America. It is widely cultivated as a garden plant and fruiting tree with striking flowers in Spring. The fruit, maturing in autumn, is green, and about the size of a 28

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Opposite: Feijoa in flower Echium Candicans - thankfully readily available in the Algarve, but not often seen in gardens. Yet another wonderful grey foliage plant, with amazing beautiful flowers in Spring.

Snippets...

There are so many more plants that I could mention - both shrubs and succulents, all ideal for the climate and conditions and available here. The list is too long to mention. I have to say my grey and silver foliage plants have truly brightened up parts of the terrace! I am now ready for the long winter months ahead.

to get rid of weeds and

Sprinkle and

salt

on

brickwork

paths

crevices

grass. Salt will have the same effect if sprinkled on the roots of weeds in the garden - it is also an effective way of slugs.

killing

Living the Good Life

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29

Watch the birdie

Two practical techniques for recognising the Algarve’s wide variety of birds

by Carolyn Kain

Fluttering

wings and colourful feathers moving in the bushes, a small grey bird skittering along the sand, or overhead a Raptor gliding on a thermal. It is rewarding to be able to identify these birds but even with binoculars and a field guide it can be tricky.

The range of species seen in the Algarve is extremely varied due to the diverse topography of the region from sea level to the heights of Monchique at 792 metres. Many migrant birds are temporary visitors and since there are around 150 breeding species, becoming familiar with them all is daunting.

For the would-be bird spotter one method well worth trying out is to take a series of photographs with a digital camera. Even an out of focus, distant image, enlarged on a computer screen can help to clarify what’s been seen. The system can be more efficient than flicking through a field guide whilst trying to watch the bird or attempting to recall its appearance after it has flown away.

Avocet 30

Azure Winged Magpie

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

For instance, the Blackcap and Sardinian Warbler are regularly seen in local woodlands and country gardens.

Similar in size with black, white and grey markings they can easily be confused. However once frozen on a computer screen and compared to pictures in a field guide it is usually possible to tell them apart.

Waders are particularly obliging photographic models, usually seen on the ground probing their beaks into mudflats or crustacean-rich sand. Greenshanks and Redshanks are identifiable by the colours of their legs but when it comes to deciding between a Spotted or a Common Redshank the photo method works. This is equally the case when looking for differences between varieties of Plovers, Sandpipers and Godwits.

Spectacular sightings such as Flamingos and Spoonbills are unmistakable but other impressive birds can present the amateur with problems. Is it an Avocet or Black-winged Stilt, a Curlew or a Whimbrel? Aside from obvious features

Blackcap

Black-Winged Stilt

the shape and size of birds’ bills can also be distinctive.

Curlews and Whimbrels are fairly similar with subtle differences in their streaking and colouration patterns but when seen on a computer screen the former has a longer curved bill, different from the Whimbrel’s which is only bent towards the tip.

Remarkably in terms of bill growth, Oystercatchers are world champions. Increasing in size by twice its length in a year, an Oystercatcher’s bill grows at a rate that is double the speed of human fingernails! Often seen on our shores breaking into shellfish, their flashy red bills are constantly being worn away by abrasive action.

Curlew

Glossy Ibis

Hoopoe

Little Grebe

Purple Gallinule

Red-Crested Pochard

Redshank

Short-Toed Eagle

Stonechat

Whimbrel

Wildlife viewing trails created for the benefit of birds and birders often provide hides with helpful information boards.

Two, on the Ria Formosa at Quinta do Lago, overlook completely different habitats. Both are located at prime feeding sites, one with an overview of saltpans, attracting maritime birds, and the other is a freshwater lake.

The lake is home to dozens of Grebes and Divers, the occasional Heron and Ibis. Within the hide, quietly concealed from bird-sight, it is possible to become immersed in their activity. Since the pleasure of bird watching can be more rewarding than bird spotting, a few photos can be taken, looked at later and identified on a computer screen.

The appearance of the lake’s most famous Swamphen, the Purple Gallinule, speaks for itself. One of Europe’s most rare species, it can invariably be spotted treading amongst the reeds where it will often pose for pictures, sometimes good enough to frame.

Many other birds are less obliging and in the case of Passerines and Raptors, even a good quality photograph can leave an amateur puzzled. Seeking the help of an interactive website is a good solution. The service, provided free of charge, involves posting a photograph of the unidentified bird and an explanation of when and where it was seen.

A photograph of an unknown Eagle sent to www.birdforum.net resulted in eight responses. This included a summary from one of the Algarve’s foremost bird experts, Simon Wates.

All eight written answers agreed that the photograph was of a Short-toed Eagle.

Technology - available now through cameras, computers and websites - makes bird recognition a relatively simple, sociable and accurate process. The Algarve’s varied terrain supplies an equally varied selection of superior models.

Snippets...

Don’t throw away those nettles; when they have rotted, put them into a bucket outdoors, cover with water, and leave for 2-3 weeks. The resulting strongly smelling liquid is an unrivalled fertilizer, especially good for tomatoes.

The photographs were all taken on the Ria Formosa by amateur photographer and bird enthusiast, Dr Matthew Grube, on holiday from Redlands, California.

Thanks to him for his help.

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31

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Product Reviews

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It’s derived from worm farming (see our article in the June edition), and the resulting liquid holds a wealth of nutrients and minerals providing all the standard elements, plus a rich source of trace elements, that will boost any species in the plant kingdom.

And it’s benefits don’t stop there, as it contains millions of good bacterias that work within the soil improving all areas of your garden.

Apply direct from the bottle or incorporate it into your irrigation system. A natural plant tonic that boosts growth, helps aerate the soil and promotes the break-down of organic matter - surely this ticks all the right boxes.

Contact Gordon on wormjuice@outlook.com or for more information and prices call 938643805

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© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

Many of us have cats and dogs as pets, but these adorable pets can be real pests to our neighbours’ gardens and, let’s face it, they can be pests in our gardens too when they dig up the tomatoes!!! But what can be done to deter these pests from our gardens, or just specific areas of the garden? There are several different options available to the gardener, which are friendly to both parties. But what will work for one may not work for another – cats in particular are very fickle!

Friend or Foe

Practical solutions are: putting a layer of chicken wire on the surface of the soil; this inhibits the animal from actually digging and therefore your plant will stay intact and no dirty business will be done. Rocks can be used around plants on bare areas of soil. Cats are hunters and will be spooked by flashing objects, and of course this will help keep birds off your plants as well. You can hang 1.5 litre bottles from trees or posts – the water in them will catch the sun and flash (the same effect occurs if you use old CD’s). Cats also don’t like the magnified image that will appear if they get too close.

There are several natural ideas which work well to deter these pests. Cats in particular do not like the smell of citrus, so you can try putting citrus peel around the areas which you want protected. People advocate coffee grounds, garlic, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, lavender oil, lemon grass oil, citronella oil, peppermint oil or eucalyptus oil. Other ideas are bark mulch, bramble or thorny cuttings or a gravel cover to the soil. A lot of people would say a dog is a good deterrent to keep the cats at bay – although it won’t work at night if the dog is tucked up in bed!!! One very good solution is manure – and the best type is big cat manure, if you have any lions living locally!!

Plants can be used as a natural deterrent. There is a garden plant called Coleus canina, marketed in some countries as Pee-off or Scaredy Cat. The plant has a pungent odour, which repels cats and other mammals from the area. The herb rue is another plant that appears to deter cats with its odour. Rosemary and lavender are another couple of ideas

because cats are deterred by the smell.

There are commercial products which work well. You can get deterrent sprays, eg. Get Off, which are mixes of known deterrent scents. There are products which are deterrent rods, which are just plastic rods impregnated with strong citrus scents, that can be pushed into the soil of areas that need protecting. There are ultrasonic pest repellers which work on different frequencies depending on which pests you want to repel; these can work up to distances of 15m and can be battery operated. Another idea on the market is a motion-activated water repellent. This device connects to the hosepipe and when motion is detected it releases a few seconds of water. The sound, motion and water scares the animal away. It can direct water up to 10m, enabling an area of 90 square metres to be protected.

There are other pests in the garden which do not actually dig up the plants or soil but can spoil your enjoyment of your outside space. Flies and wasps can be really annoying pests and can stop you being able to eat outside in the garden.

There are products available to attract the flies and wasps away from specific areas, called fly bags or wasp bags. They are small bags, which you fill to a level with water. This will activate an attractant inside the bag, which will draw the flies or wasps to the respective bags. Hang these in a tree or on a post away from your required fly- or wasp-free area, and the flies and wasps will be drawn to the bag and killed.

Check in your local pet shops, garden centres and drogarias (DIY stores) for these products. We have several of them available here in Portugal at www.paws4pets.pt. ©Copyright Paws4Pets 2014 Julie Pickering

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33

Be Comfy with Comfrey!

By Lorraine Cavanagh

Comfrey

is a magical plant! It nurtures plants, animals, insects and humans alike and is remarkably disease-free itself. It makes wonderful compost, fertiliser and mulch. Things don’t get much better than that! Every gardener should have a comfrey patch and especially if you are organic.

Lorraine Cavanagh owns the specialist garden centre Viveros Florena, Cómpeta, Málaga, Spain (garden centre, designers & landscapers) and is author of the bestselling Mediterranean Garden Plants and Citrus, The Zest of Life.

Comfrey is one of the best investments for a healthy and productive garden. Most people reach for a quick fix when their plants are ailing but quick-release fertilisers will only promote lots of lush sappy growth - a banquet table to aphids and a breeding ground for fungal disease. Far better to slow feed your plants; maybe they won’t be quite so big and lush but they will be healthy, strong and softly glowing with health. In fact, we could all do with some of that!

Symphytum officinale, or Comfrey, is a perennial plant with deep roots that go way beyond the reach of most plants so they can find nutrients and minerals in the subsoil that other plants cannot. Its large hairy leaves also contain more proteins than any other plant, 22%. Comfrey leaves are extremely rich in nitrogen and potassium with a reasonable amount of phosphorus too. Found naturally fringing riverbanks and other damp areas, it will also grow on drier ground. The piercing roots, up to 4m long, will survive most conditions.

There are three basic ways to use this superplant. Try a clump at the side of your compost heap; it will mop up excess nutrients that

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© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

leak out from the compost and you can then recycle some of the leaves back into the compost. The cut leaves break down very quickly, transferring their nutrients back into the compost heap and encouraging speedy decomposition. There’s a delicious simplicity in this, no complications, no additions, just Mother Nature doing what she does best – or perhaps it just appeals to my simple mind!

The second method is to spread the leaves as mulch. Like other mulches, it slows down evaporation, keeps soil moist and helps suppress weed growth. Because the leaves rot down so quickly they give a boost to shallow-rooting plants and especially heavy feeders like tomatoes, roses and fruit trees.

Deep-rooting comfrey does not threaten shallower-rooting fruit trees, for instance, but will provide a very rich potassium feed.

As a surprise bonus, the wilting leaves are irresistible to slimy predators so they can be used as bait to keep slugs and snails away from valuable plants like hostas and soft crops such as lettuce.

Thirdly, comfrey leaves also make a liquid fertiliser – comfrey tea. To do this, fill a container with leaves and top it up with water. Stir now and again. After 2 to 3 weeks the green-brown sludge smells vile but that is a sure indication that the proteins are breaking down and the brew is ready for use! Strain it and use the liquid, diluted 1:10 – either as a foliar spray or water directly into the roots. The left-over slurry at

the bottom of the container works wonders on the compost heap. Smelly but powerful stuff!

Most animals love comfrey – chickens, ducks, sheep, cattle and goats will all gorge on it. And bees, that so much need our help at the moment, will nuzzle into the drooping lilac-blue flower-heads.

But comfrey can do far more; it is a traditional medicine for humans too. Its other name is knitbone. Its powerful healing properties help the body to repair damaged tissue and bones by stimulating cell division, effectively repairing damage more quickly, and reducing inflammation. There has been some controversy over comfrey because it does contain poisonous substances (as do many plant-based medicines) that can be toxic to the liver when ingested. Thus, in many countries, it has been banned for oral use but it is still recommended for external (short-term) use as a poultice or ointment for wounds, broken bones, muscle strains and fractures. As with all medicines, continued or long-term usage is not advisable.

So, after hearing of all these benefits, I’m sure you’re wanting to get planting. Plan carefully - it is important to select a suitable site. Comfrey is an exceedingly tough perennial plant. It has very deep penetrating roots – though not wide-spreading - and a

new plant can sprout from a tiny section of root so, if you ever want to get rid of it (though I can’t think why) then you could have a tough time. In a wetter climate than ours, it can become very prolific – some might even say weed-like – but our drier conditions act as a perfect control. Likewise, as it is usually sold in the sterile form, it cannot spread unless you sever the roots.

So don’t cultivate around your comfrey patch and it will stay contained. Belonging to the same family as borage, the hairy leaves are irritant to some, so always wear gloves when handling.

Plant in partial shade and give an occasional deep watering during hot weather. Leave it to establish during its first year. In the second year, harvesting starts when the plant is 0.50m high or starting to develop flowers. Simply cut down the stems to 10cm above ground level. Give the plant a good soaking and it will soon regenerate.

Thereafter you should get four harvests per year, amounting to some 2kg of leaves per plant. That’s a lot of leaves! If you want to increase your comfrey crop, lift and divide the original plant or make root cuttings.

I believe we are the only Garden Centre in Iberia stocking comfrey plants. We have small plug plants, ideal for posting. See our web page for details.

Tel: (0034) 689928201 www.viverosflorena.com florenaspain@hotmail.com Shop on-line with us for unusual plants, plug plants, scented roses, bulbs, organic products and my books. Join our mailing list to stay in touch.

And see us on Facebook – Lorraine Cavanagh’s Garden Centre

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35

Turning up the Heat Living in a Mediterranean climate reaps a whole range of benefits based on the warm sunshine and blue skies, all encouraging you to spend more time outdoors pottering in your garden, relaxing on the patio or just lazing by a swimming pool. Life here is quite simply all about being outdoors, so when the temperatures start to drop in the winter months, but the sky is still that cerulean blue, it’s nice to be able to take the chill off by sitting around a beautiful, purpose made outdoor fire.

Over the last few years, a vast range of different heating solutions have come on the market, from electric or gas patio heaters, chimineas, fire pits and braziers, and bioethanol as well as standard fireplaces. So lets look at a few of these in more detail to see what warms your coals.

Patio Heaters

Electric patio heaters have been around for some time and are available either as free standing or wall mounted systems, but they don’t take the edge off the whole terrace or patio and you don’t get that ‘warm glow’ atmosphere of a visual fire.

On the plus side, they are not affected by wind and the modern versions are cheap to run so provided you pay your electric bills regularly, you should never run out of fuel.

The gas heaters (often seen outside restaurants and bars) are very good at warming up enclosed areas, giving off a radiant heat which feels like you are sitting in the sunshine. The gas canisters are encapsulated within the free-standing heaters and the whole system is very portable, with a variety of styles to suit your particular setting. Obviously, you would a back up canister if you are entertaining regularly of an evening, so they can be more expensive to run than an electric option.

Expect to pay upwards of 100-120 euros for a standard 12kw freestanding gas heater.

Chimineas

This is a relatively new concept in outdoor heating albeit based on a traditional Mexican system. It ticks all the boxes if you are looking for rustic charm, with front loading fireplaces or ovens, a bulbous body 36

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

and a smoke-venting chimney. They come in a range of designs (both contemporary and traditional), and can be fabricated in different materials such as cast-iron, steel or clay, which all have their good and bad points.

The first thing to consider is weight as they can be very heavy and so not easy to move once set up. The cast-iron versions are the best conductors of heat and obviously the sturdiest - but this also means they are the heaviest, so important decisions on the final position on your terrace is paramount to begin with.

If mobility is your problem, then the lighter-weight steel chiminea would be your best option, although the most visually striking are the traditional clay versions, some of which have twin access feeders making them ideal for central locations on the patio. The larger chimineas have a built-in grill, giving you the added bonus of being able to cook smaller items within it.

Wood cut into small logs is the primary source of fuel, although you can get a range of sustainable and recycled products to use instead. All versions are very fuel efficient, giving off a warming glow long after the party is over. Keep them covered from the rain if they are left permanently left outdoors, as they can be prone to rust.

Fire Pits and Braziers

Fire pits have been around - well, since man struck the first flint, so there is nothing new there, but nowadays the designs have improved somewhat. They often double as tables so during the summer months when the weather gets warmer, they need not be out of place.

They are quite easy to build yourself using fire bricks or you can buy one of the beautiful designs available from Flame Decor (see ad opposite).

FLAME DECOR – HEATING SOLUTIONS Flame Decor is located in Quarteira, in the Algarve. The company started up in 2011, and its primary goal is to provide the best customer service, searching for the best solution for each situation.

BIO-ETHANOL Bio-ethanol is the type that comprises all processes of obtaining ethanol, which uses raw-material such as cellulose - biomass, for example sugar cane, corn and cellulose. It’s a type of bio-fuel.

Flame Décor is a company that provides heating solutions for all kinds of spaces, taking into account decoration and design factors.

Although it is quite a recent company, it already has a considerable amount of happy customers, who we would like to thank for looking us up and placing their trust in us.

We supply a large range of models of Woodburning Stoves, Woodburners, Ethanol and Gas Burners, Fireplaces, Barbeques, among others. We are the representatives in southern Portugal for well-known brands such as M-Design and Glamm Fire.

Work carried out by our company:

Various reputable brands of different fuels can be found in our store. These fuels represent simplicity, modernism and, above all, efficiency.

We sell, create, install, remodel, repair and provide technical assistance.

Our door is always open and besides the selling and installation, we also provide assistance to new clients, whether it be repairs, remodelling or even simple revision or annual cleaning jobs. We work throughout the whole of the Algarve, Alentejo and Lisbon.

Installed Juventino Design - Almancil

GAS The operation of gas fireplaces is based on technology that allows for a more heat-effective usage.

One of the main advantages of gas fires as against log fires is the fact that you cut out the hard work of having to buy, store, handle and clean out the logs and ashes resulting from their usage. Your heating is guaranteed at the simple click of a button.

If you are searching for a heating solution, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We will give you a free quote, without commitment.

Flame Decor Unipessoal Lda. Sítio do Semino, Loja A 8125-303 Quarteira Telefone / Fax: 289 316 701 | Telemóvel: 932 465 478 info@flame-decor.pt www.flame-decor.pt www.facebook.com/flamedecor

Work carried out by our company:

Installed The Conrad Hotel - Quinta do Lago

In December’s edition, make sure you don’t miss out on our review about LOG and PELLET fuels.

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37

Processionary Caterpillars

by Julie Pickering I have searched the books and net to come up with more comprehensive information on them. I must thank the various holiday companies for helping with some of the technical information.

On a personal basis I know of dogs who have lost their tongues to this beast and it is not a pretty sight and so distressing. There seems to be little local information about them, there are companies here on The Algarve who will spray the pine trees.

The pine processionary caterpillar, Thaumetopoea pityocampa will, during late winter/early spring, be coming out of pine trees and forming conspicuous snakelike lines.

They will not be far from a pine tree, but that does not mean that you will only see them in large pine woods, they are just as likely to be found in villages and road side plantings in fact wherever pine trees are present.

As a moth it has no means of causing us harm, it is only during its development as a caterpillar that you need to be cautious of this small creature. The moths seek out pine trees in the warm summer nights, lay clusters of eggs on the pine needles and so the process begins. There are various growth stages to these caterpillars, where they gorge on pine needles, shed their skins and double in size.

This growth occurs during the winter when they disperse through the tree at night to feed, thereby avoiding predation,

Pine Processionary Caterpillars have been seen very early this year so I feel I have to put out the warning again - fast!

and collect in communal nests by day to increase their warmth and ability to digest.

Note that the white ‘candyfloss like’ nests are cleverly positioned for maximum sunshine.

The time for them to leave the nest in preparation for the next part of their life-cycle varies with temperature, spanning from January in warmer areas to April in the cool of the mountains, with a few even falling from the trees during windy weather. It is as they leave the trees that most people and pets come into contact with the caterpillars, sometimes with very painful consequences. They are the only caterpillar here to form a long chain, touching nose to tail. This snake-like procession is a real giveaway as to their identity. The line may stretch for a metre or two but if disturbed there could be several smaller groups and scattered individuals. (Each being around 3 to 4cm long).

They have gone through a long feeding phase and will now search for a suitable place to burrow underground where they will undergo major changes, from caterpillar through to a moth - without nourishment.

The danger that they pose to humans and animals is a very simple defence mechanism designed to stop them from becoming a meal themselves. Each caterpillar is covered with tiny barbed hairs, it is these which do us harm. They are constantly being dropped throughout its time as a caterpillar. They are too tiny to see, but cover the branches of the tree where the creatures have been feasting and of course the nests are loaded with them. They are in the air around a heavily infested tree, like a dust cloud.

Direct contact with the Processionary Caterpillar colonies as they disperse, can easily be avoided once you know what to look out for. Inquisitive children, adults and pets must not get too close - it is even said that treading on them in shoes has led to a reaction, as the hairs caught on your shoe can come into contact with your skin later.

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When humans come into contact with these hairs, they can cause reactions ranging from mild inflammation and irritation to severe anaphylactic shock. If the hairs contact your skin a rash soon forms which can be incredibly itchy, painful and lasts for as much as three weeks. The worst problems occur if you make contact with the caterpillar directly and ingest the hairs.

If you get any reaction from contact with these insects medical advice should be sought.

Veterinary services have many emergency calls at the time when the caterpillars are migrating to the ground as dogs can get too close to the intriguing procession and may pick up the hairs onto their paws, these irritate and so they lick them. Once the hairs are on the lips/tongue it will induce itching, swelling and possibly vomiting. Look out for the symptoms of small white spots in the mouth and on the tongue, excessive drooling and chomping. In some cases partial amputation of the tongue is the only course of action. As reported before I

have seen doggies that have fallen foul of these creatures and it is not pleasant. Fast treatment is imperative.

I hope some of this is useful just file it away in your head and keep your eyes to the ground. Under no circumstances should you try to handle the caterpillars or their nests. Just take care and monitor where you walk yourself, children and animals.

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39

Since 1980 the life-size driftwood horses of British artist Heather Jansch have thrilled audiences throughout the world. Her use of the material has made her horses icons of our times and her work is now widely emulated but Jansch is the undisputed leader in her field. It is the depth of her knowledge and profound understanding of the horse which began in early childhood that sets her apart from the crowd. Her twin passions of horses and drawing, led her to spend hours following ponies in the fields surrounding her family home, pencil in hand. Her woodworking skills and interest in construction also stem from the time when her father taught her how to make a rabbit hutch from odd bits and pieces left from building their own house in the lean years after the war.

of the animals, shone through all her work investing it with an unmistakable magic.

By 2000 she was the undisputed leader in her field and her work featured in The Shape of The Century - 100 years of Sculpture in Britain, a major London exhibition to celebrate the millennium, alongside the giants Moor, Hepworth, Frink, Caro to name only a few.

Jansch’s genius lies in her capacity to breathe life into longdead bits of wood, even pieces soft with decay are used to create forms that appear to quiver with imminent movement.

It is this sense of life and love of problem solving that keep her fascinated.

Heather Jansch Jansch spent years in close daily observation and read extensively about all aspects of equine behaviour. She was fascinated by the differing breed characteristics and made a particular study of it until going to Goldsmith’s College and the extraordinary mix of experimental artistic life that was London in the 1960’s.

In 1968 she married the legendary folk guitarist Bert Jansch. After a few heady years in the capitol, the couple retreated to a hill farm and bred Welsh cobs until their amicable separation in 1973. Her immediate neighbour was a breeder of Arabians and Jansch honed her knowledge, painting traditional equestrian portraits, until her move to a steep wooded valley in Devon where she still lives.

It was in Devon that she began to sculpt with driftwood found on the local beaches. The comprehensive knowledge of form she had gained, combined with her enduring love 40

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

Most roots and branches found on British shorelines come from softwoods like ash, birch and pinewoods, all of which have a limited lifespan; sculptures made from it seldom last more than seven years. Jansch became dispirited by the regular failure and gradual decay of driftwood, and, looking for a more durable alternative, began to use fallen oak supplied from the surrounding estates on Dartmoor.

Working with the punishingly hard and close grained wood, she produced an impressive body of work in which she pushed the boundaries of the material. One of her big oak mares was bought by Italy’s Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali who entitled it The Perfect Horse, another was commissioned by The Botanical Gardens of Montreal, while others sold to private collections around the world. Some were retained.

After five years she felt she had exhausted the possibilities of the material; there was still the question of durability because the natural expansion and contraction with changes in humidity eventually weakens the fixings. The problems can be overcome to a degree by covering the sculpture with waterproof horse rugs during the wettest months or by placing them undercover but she wanted something yet more durable.

Jansch returned to the softer medium of driftwood, this time with the express purpose of casting in bronze limited editions. It was an ambitious and complex process but the results are breathtaking. Nothing is lost in translation, the texture and colouring is so perfect that only touch can tell the original driftwood from the bronze. The increased strength and durability of the ancient medium of bronze allows her creativity even greater freedom of expression and has ensured the survival of her work for future generations to enjoy.

to be encountered to be fully appreciated and she plans a colonnade in her sculpture garden.

A notable example of her insistence on quality is ‘The Young Arabian’, after five years in the making, it was finally finished, the epitome of an exquisite youngster bursting with vitality and she decided to have it cast in bronze. This was no simple task. It had not been made with bronze in mind, there were 117 separate pieces in total. It is an edition of five and the first bronze was snapped up by a stud farm in Slovakia, The private sculpture garden is open to the public each spring and autumn to raise money for charity otherwise visits are by appointment only.

http://www.heatherjansch.com

The original sculpture is deconstructed and moulds are made from the individual pieces of wood. The original is then rebuilt and retained to serve as a pattern for the

driftwood bronze welders until the bronze edition is sold out when they are occasionally available for sale as interior pieces. Her latest works are a range of huge loosely worked heads.

“I love them and am very excited by them, they send a shiver through me. They come from an immediate instinctive response to a particular piece of wood and allow the abstract relation of space and form to take a more prominent role than I have yet managed to express in complete figures.

They are my way of relaxing from the intense observation of detail demanded by full horses and are more akin to making site-specific works in the landscape and to planting projects within the sculpture garden.”

Despite their abstract nature, these powerful heads still appear to have a living presence and the gaze of a seer or sentinel. The spectacularly arresting sculptures have Subscribe at subscriptions@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com

41

Focus on ...

Chayote/Mirlitons Sechium Edule

There are few things more interesting than browsing the

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salt and pepper as a delicious side dish.

fruit and veg markets in a new country and discovering the new shapes, sizes and colours of the unfamiliar produce on display, and this particular beauty stands out as more alien-like than others. Pear-shaped with an often wrinkled, thin green skin the ‘chuchu’, as its delightfully called, is a very versatile vegetable.

It has similar growing patterns as a cucumber, creating a kind or creeping vine. Plant one vine in early spring and the tuberous root will soon spread quickly. Within four months, it should be producing enough fruit for a large family for the entire year.

You could say it’s a cross between a cucumber and a squash and all parts are edible. It can be eaten raw or added to stews or stir-fries, but it can be quite bland on its own, so best add a seasoning or spice to accentuate its flavours. I have tried it on its own sautéd in butter with

Make sure it gets plenty of sunshine and a good supply of water without letting the soil to dry out. Being a vigorous climber, it will need a trellis or support to keep it contained. The fruit must grow on the supported vine and not on the ground, where it will quickly spoil and rot.

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

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NORMAN NormanGROUNDWORKS Groundworks All aspects of garden construction: Walls, Fencing, Terracing, Lawns, Irrigation, Driveways, Gates, Land clearing, Home extensions and Renovations, Shade areas, Ponds, Pools and Water features.

For a free quotation contact Norman tel 282 332 899 mob 96 31 34 129 Email ngw1@clix.pt. www.landscapingalgarve.com

If you have a business that is related to gardening or outdoor living, and you would like to be included in Portugal’s only Gardening and Outdoor Living magazine in English, why not contact Samantha McGivern for our advertising rates.

913 666 555

You can place a text ad here for just 10 euros for the first 10 words, then 50 cents per word thereafter. Upload your details at www.gardeningandoutdoorliving.com

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Your Letters ...

Mr M May of Lagos wrote: A couple of questions for your magazine 1. Do you know anything about ‘Winter Tomatoes’?

2. We have had a lot of Marmelos this year and am finding it difficult to find recipes to use them up, apart from making them into a jelly so any ideas?

Send us your queries and problems and we will try to answer them here so the solutions can be shared with others. editor@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com

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that

2. If you haven’t already

won’t need much attention?

seen our article this month

I have a terraced patio with-

A common misconception

on Marmelos - or Quince

in my garden but no irriga-

with herbs - particularly lav-

1. It would have to be inde-

(page 20), you could check

tion so it would be just me

ender is concerned, is to

terminate variety of tomato,

out these web sites for fan-

and my watering can!

give them more water when

which bears fruit over the

tastic recipes on how to use

course of the season. Alter-

quince in your day to day

I love to cook and I don’t

often the problem is that the

natively, look for varieties

menus. You can use it to

want to waste time by plant-

root structure are rotting be-

that are early season, winter

accompany savoury dishes,

ing herbs that won’t survive.

low. So a watering can would

or cool weather tomatoes,

such as lamb and in cakes

as most tomato fruit stops

together

or

I would use any of these top

setting and ripening when

served with cheese or just

five that simply thrive in any

with

ginger,

they start to look sick, when

be more than enough to keep these herbs thriving.

Photography Competition gets a six month subscription to the magazine and both photos will now go through to the competition at the end of the year.

Send us your best photos of garden related subjects - this can be your favourite, prized plant, a piece of garden art, an insect or bird - even some interesting gardening tools - the choice is yours.

Each month we will print the winners and offer a six month free subscription to the magazine, and at the end of the year, we will pick 12 of the best images to go into our Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living calender.

The winner of last month’s photo competition was Hugh Morrison of Sao Sebastiao, Loule. Hugh sent in six fantastic photos, two of which came top of the list, so well done Hugh. He 46

© Mediterranean Gardening and Outdoor Living

So get snapping and send your entries to editor@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com Up to 6 photos per person are allowed and all images must be high quality, original photographs.

Gardener’s Puzzle

See if you can identify these plants from these foliage shots.

Last month’s answers are listed to the right.

Send your entries to editor@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com and we will draw one winner out of a hat who will win a free six month subscription to the magazine

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5

6

7

8

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10

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Last month’s answers were (left to right): Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis, Cyca Revoluta, Datura, Metrosideros Excelsus, Araucaria Heterophylla, Nerium Oleander, Variegated Ivy, Ligustrum, Quercus Suber/Cork Oak, Citrus Paradisi/Grapefruit, Carissa, Acacia/Mimosa

Don’t miss next months issue...

•

Poinsettias

•

Medronho Bush

•

How to Plant Bulbs

•

Wines, Ports and Cheeses

•

Frost Hardy Plants

•

The Reds of Christmas

•

Formula 1 Fast Growing Plants

•

Christmas Present Ideas for Gardeners

... plus all our regular ongoing articles from our resident horticulturists and hobby gardeners, and much, much more.

Available in almost 500 outlets across the Algarve and lower Alentejo, and Lisbon area, in Spain at Viveros Florena, Cómpeta, Málaga, Iceland Supermarket in Guia or by regular subscription both in Portugal and worldwide contact subscriptions@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com If you have a business that is related to gardening or outdoor living, why not place an advertisement. Contact marketing@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com Subscribe at subscriptions@gardeningandoutdoorliving.com

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