Gardening in Spain turned out to be a challenge I wasn’t fully prepared for, but it was also one of the most rewarding learning experiences of my life, gardening wise anyway. The climate, the soil, and even the different pattern of the seasons were completely different from what I was used to in Connemara. Over the years, my colourful language blossomed, but not necessarily the plant or seeds.
However, one of my earliest successes was with creeping thyme, a hardy ground cover that thrived in the warm, sunny conditions of our Spanish garden. I didn’t have much hope for it tbh but seeing its delicate purple blooms spread across the rocky soil was an absolute delight and a really welcome surprise… Encouraged by this, I tried introducing other Irish favourites, such as wood sorrel and meadow buttercup, which also adapted surprisingly well to the environment. They brought a touch of home to my Spanish retreat. Though tending them gave me some stress i must admit. One failure and you just never know do you.
However, not all my experiments were so successful. My attempt to grow Irish bluebells in the arid soil was an outright failure. No matter how much shade and water I provided, the plants simply would’nt adapt to the Mediterranean conditions. Oleander, on the other hand, grew almost too well, its lush growth quickly taking over parts of the garden and requiring constant pruning to keep it manageable. It’s lovely but needs a lot of maintenance. It soon becomes unruly and needs constant cutting back. Be careful with that one.
One day, a neighbour, Marta, stopped by and shared her insights about Mediterranean gardening. She explained the importance of selecting drought-resistant plants and showed me how to make better use of shade and natural watering techniques. Her advice led me to try drought-resistant plants like rosemary and rockrose, which were a revelation. They required little care and added a fragrant, low-maintenance charm to the garden. I made a shady rockery just for them.
Another memorable moment was experimenting with a small vegetable patch. While tomatoes and peppers thrived, my attempts at growing Irish potatoes were laughably poor. I joked with Brian that the Spanish soil simply didn’t understand what a potato was meant to be. Still, it was fun to try, and it became a lighthearted story to share with friends after a few drinks.
Through trial and error, I discovered that gardening isn’t just about results; it’s about the process and the joy of learning. Every success felt like a victory, and every failure taught me something new about the land and myself. It’s really important as a gardener to experiment i feel. Just have a go.
Today, my Spanish garden combines Mediterranean plants like rosemary and rockrose with hardy Irish choices like creeping thyme and wood sorrel. It’s a simple but meaningful blend of my two homes. I’ll continue to experiment and honestly expect more disappointment than success. But i love it.