With the first autumn rains coming early this year, the garden has greened up in the three weeks we´d been away. The daisies (Bellis perennis) are looking fabulous. The yellow flowers among the daisies are not dandelions — they´re autumn hawkbit (Leontodon autumnalis).
Here’s a closer look. The back side of the petals are a lovely pink.
I’d totally forgotten that I’d planted a cyclamen tuber in this boulder some time ago. What a lovely surprise! The curled up stem close to the soil is a seed capsule which bears as many as 12 seeds. Very clever of the cyclamen to insert the seed capsule into the soil. Ants are attracted to the sweet coating of the seeds and carry them away from the plant. They´re not interested in the seed itself and leave it once they´ve licked it clean, thus aiding in the cyclamen´s proliferation.
The chrysanthemums, despite being frozen last winter, have come through. Here they are looking promising in bud.
A few spiral orchids (Spiranthes spiralis), also known as lady´s tresses orchid, are still in bloom, but most were flattened by heavy machinery when the new septic tank was put in while we were away.
I am willing myself to be optimistic that the spiral orchids will come back next year. The double track made by the backhoe into the daisy “lawn” (ouch!) was precisely where the spiral orchids grew thickest last year.
Some lovely pale blue chicory are still in bloom.
The strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo, madroño in Spanish) has fruits ripening at the same time as its new flowers. It is often mentioned that the species name unedo (“only one”) is due to the insipid taste of the fruit, so that one is enough. To my surprise, the arbutus fruits on the two trees we have here are very sweet, too sweet for my taste in fact. A potent liqueur is made from the fruits in Portugal (called aguardente de medronho) and the Canary islands. In Madrid as well, licor de madroño is a typical drink, perhaps because the madroño and a bear feature on the coat of arms of the city, although the tree itself does not flourish in Madrid. I am tempted to suggest that the specific unedo is actually because if you eat more than one, you are likely to become inebriated, due to the high alcohol content of the ripe fruits.
Can you see the bumble bee on one of the flowers?
The blossoms on this miniature pomegranate were a surprise. I had not expected any for at least two more years. I wonder if there will be some mini fruits? Watch this space….
Olives, pines, and rocks 
You have a very lovely garden — almost looking wild but spectacular. Is this what is commonly called the “English garden” — beautiful in its wildness and seemingly random? But you’re in Spain now, so it’s your “Spanish garden”. Your Kuya Stan would have loved this. You inspire me. Perhaps, when I’m fully retired, I’ll try my hand at growing a few flower plants on the patio. BTW, the deep lavender daisy is my favorite. Maybe, I’ll try that first. That’s just a dream. It’s like telling myself I’ll learn the piano more … I haven’t yet.
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Thank you for dropping by, Ate Lin, and your kind comments. I´m so glad you like the wild effect — it´s precisely what I was aiming for. Actually I´ve kept most of the garden as I found it, because of the many lovely orchids and wild flowers that were here already. Hoping you can find time to grow your own flowers soon.
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