WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Monday 13 August 2012

Sunday and flower meandering

I was out early in the garden this morning.  This most peculiar plant, I call a "weed" has just grown into  something looking like out of "Jack and the Beanstalk"..its growing like mad.  I know its a weed, what kind I have no idea.  In a strange way I like it.  I have'nt seen one before. I decided to jusst let it grow. As you can see, it has tine little yellow flowers..  While taking the photos , and then having my morning tea.   I decided that it was time for me to pay a visit to our local garden nursery.  Its about three quarters of an hour away.   I enjoy going there once in a while, and thought today was the perfect day.
                                                            The "Weed"..!!
                                                      another view of the weed plant.. the white flower does not belong to it.
                                                 This tree intrigued me.  It was at the entrance to the nursery. some kind of pods were growing on it.
                                                      a  beautiful lilac   orchid..I think!  I wanted to bring it home..but it needs indoor care, I'm not set up for indoor plants.
                                                      A fish pond at the entrance.. fish were jumping all over. I remember, when the owner Dona Tina and her husband made this.  A simple way really.  Just made with plastic liner, with some floating lilies on it.
                                                 This hand carved stone piece with two birds on it, caught my eye. My purse needed much more to buy it.  Its beautiful ..hand made by a local artist.
                                              Some strange cactus hanging plant
                                               petunias.. foto somewhat blurred.
                                               I forgot the name of these  fern type palms.. so beautiful.
                                             got my eye on this creeper
                                       Tina has some great vases, great shapes too.
                                                ornamental cabbage.  I am thinking about it!
                                                  Snow White and the 7 dwarfes.. for a special children's garden.
                                             I am thinking about making a cactus area.. for next season. What do you think about cactus plants.  I am not sure. Maybe with some white stones around them.
                                                  lots of lovely bushes to choose from
                                                 I brought home "Freddy the frog".. i am going to call him Freddy. He looks very happy. I bought a yellow rose bush to put at the side of him. Something to cheer up the garden.
                                               One of the two pots I have that i filled with red and white geraniums. still have some plants to plant tomorrow.
                                I stopped on the way home for an ice cream. It was 38º today.. a chocolate magnum with caramel.. it was yummi. These magnificent giant sunflowers were in the patch in front of the cafe. I could'nt resist a photo of them, they were taller than me. (no, I am not a midget) ):

  It was a good afternoon.. well spent.  I love to go to the garden centre and see all the nice lovely plants.
What is your favorite plant

Happy week dear blogging friends.

31 comments:

  1. My sweet Val ,
    It is here 3:04 in the morning . I can't sleep , so I stay in front of P/C. You had the most wonderful evening ! I love to go to the flower centre .Enjoy your new plants , love and care them !
    Olympia

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  2. Thank you for the wonderful garden tour. It was so much fun seeing all the plants, water features and all the beautiful pottery.

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  3. Hi Val, I wonder if the mystery week will produce a mystery vegetable. It looks sort of pumpkin like. Your garden centre looks like fun - I love the Snowwhite Collection! The pots are very attractive - I would find them difficult to resist. Have fun with Freddy! xxx

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  4. Thank you dear Olympia.. have a wonderful Monday

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  5. Thank you Gretchen.. It is fun to see all the lovely plants.. i wanted to bring them all home.
    wishing you a happy Monday

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  6. Dear Patricia,
    I always want to buy a pot when i go there.. but this time I have enough.. well for this season anyway.
    Its a nice garden centre.. could be better, but its in the middle of nowhere and they have to buy their plants elswhere.. she was saying to me that business is not so good.
    ha ha =): I too thought it looked like some sort of pumpkin.. but why is it growing up and not on the ground. Mystery.! Thank you Patricia.. have a wonderful Monday

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  7. Hell Val:
    Your local garden centre really is a veritable Mecca with so many goodly and interesting plants and other items. We can well imagine your being 'lost' among it all on any one of your visits.

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  8. I have to agree with Patricia, the leaves and flowers look very like some sort of squash or courgette. You may end up with a crop. did you take a photo and ask them at the garden centre? x

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  9. A plant nursery sound like a wonderful place to visit!
    You know geraniums are among my favorite flowers. Your pot looks so pretty : )

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  10. I love to visit the garden centre too, but it's always so tempting to see all of the beautiful plants and not buy too much.
    Cacti can be fun if you have a good spot for them. The flowers are sometimes beautiful.
    Thank you for taking us along for the visit.
    Betty

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  11. We went to a Garden Centre yesterday - you can spend a lot of money if you don't keep an eye on the prices. We purchased a few plants to replace the ones the dogs have destroyed - more sturdy plants so, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these will last!
    Have a great week. Love Freddy the frog.
    June

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  12. Dear Val, I think that your weed is a squash of some kind. Try and hand pollinate it so you can find out for sure. And yes the purple flower is an orchid, a Phalenopsis. They are easy to take care of and keep you company when winter sets in.
    Like you I can never go to a garden shop without bringing something home.

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  13. Hello Val

    I love going to a garden centre and it always cheers me greatly. I find greenhouses with high humidity heavenly. You images are wonderful and what a lovely way to spend a day.
    I admire cactus but have not grown any
    Helenxx

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  14. Hello Val
    Your plant definaitly looks like some kind of vegetable or perhaps a melon, how exciting you will have to wait and see! freddy frog looks very happy in your garden,
    I love the sunflowers I am still waiting for mine to open
    Thea x

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  15. Val,
    Thank you for taking us on your visit to your local garden nursery.It looks so exotic with some different plants to what we find in England. What a huge section of cactus! We saw some stunning cactus when we were in Portugal and they looked wonderful in the dry arid conditions.
    Sarah x

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  16. The cactus are so very tall. I was amazed. I am still not sure if i will have them in my garden. There are some trees that you dont have.. others you do have.
    thank you Sarah for your kind comments.

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  17. Dear Gina, thank you for your comments.. I am fascinated with what you told me. How do I polinate the plant myself..didnt know you could do that. I am still learning about all these flowers and plants.
    I loved the orchid.. and now that you tell me I can keep it in winter. i will be off to by it later in september.
    Its awful to visit the nursery.. money goes quickly there. i have to be hard on myself and say"stop"..
    happy week Gina and thank you

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  18. I think its the green house with all the humidity and the exotic plants that attract me too Helen. I love walking around and seeing all those beautiful plants.
    When I brought my plants .. i thought i had bought quite a lot..but once in the pots.. in such a large space . i still need more.
    It was a nice afternoon.
    happy week to you Helen.

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  19. Hi Thea,
    I too think its a vegetable .. but i will have to wait and see. so far its just flowers.
    I like to look at it.
    its always great to take a visit to the nursery.
    happy week Thea thank you for leaving your comments

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  20. So right Betty.
    The years that I lived in Fremantle. The Aborigine's were not allowed to stay in the towns.. and especially after 10 at night.
    That has changed over the years. Its such a shame. We never brought anything home from Australia with us.
    But at least I have the memories.
    Agree Betty. I have to tell myself to stop.. as i would be putting more in the car. I am happy with what i bought. and i love little Freddy.
    Thanks for your kind comments

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  21. Thank you Suzy.. i never thought to take a photo of it. But the old man with his little farm at the end of my road will probably know.. i will show him.
    it's definately a vegetable. dying to see what it is.
    happy week and thanks for your comments.

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  22. Hi Demi,
    Always nice to hear from you..
    I agree.. its peaceful to visit the garden centre. I walk around and around looking at the wonderful plants.

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  23. How nice that you had a day out at the nursery.
    Dogs can be naughty. Mine have stopped digging now , so things are ok.
    I too have to watch it when i go to the garden centre.. otherwise i would have a hefty bill.
    thank you June for passing by and leaving your comments.

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  24. Thank you Jane and Lance.
    It is a lovely garden centre. Alas however, Tina the owner, tells me things are not as good as they were. The money has to go elsewhere. Its sad. She does have some lovely plants indeed. I get lost there

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  25. Hi Val,

    Greetings from Ireland where we have had sunshine today and temps of 18 degrees so we are all happy smiley people!

    I am glad that we found one another, you have a lovely blog and I have really enjoyed reading your posts.

    I think Freddy the Frog is adorable and I love the teracotta pots in your garden centre and the cacti (sp?) ok not sure about spelling so will change to
    I love the cactus plants!!!

    I love a visit to the garden centre and never come home without something. just as well mine doesn't stock pots like yours or I would need a bank loan!

    Wishing you a lovely week and am following now.

    ~ Fiona

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  26. Welcome to val's alentejo Fiona.
    pleased to meet you.. we will be seeing each other along our blogging days.
    Don't worry Fiona. I only buy a pot now and again.. they are expensive, but sometimes cant resist them.
    Great you are having wonderful weather in Ireland.
    Its beautiful here too.
    Happy tuesday
    val

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  27. I enjoyed walking through your day with you. I like seeing what you noticed in the garden center. We have a couple of huge weeds that I have not identified too. We let them grow until they become too much of a problem or become unattractive.

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  28. Dear Val - I agree with other comments that your weed certainly seems to have the appearance of some kind of pumpkin. Do let us know if it matures into anything special.
    The fern that you could not remember the name of is a Cycas revoluta. A really interesting plant which is one of the few remaining plants from the prehistoric era, said to have been growing when Dinosaurs roamed the earth.

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  29. Dear Rosemary,
    It looks like the "pumpkin"!!! plant is dying off now. there is no fruit on it.. but i have enjoyed watching it grow.
    How delightful to know the name of the fern. I have never known. I am thinking of buying one for myself, they are rather expensive, but i like them.
    thank you for giving me the name, and your comments.
    val

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  30. Hello Val,
    I enjoyed this trip out with you to your local garden centre as this morning we have dreadful rain here in the UK......
    Like Sarah said, "Its good to see unusual plants" and it brings lovely memories of our holiday to Portugal, when our children were small!
    Enjoy your planting Val and Freedie frog is delightful and made me smile too...
    Thank you always for the kindset comments over on mine.
    LoVe Maria x

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  31. Lovely photos and a day spent very useful and nice and on top of it your readers could participate! Good thing that you did not tear out that "weed" it looks strong and the yellow flower is cute, indeed! Christa

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