Barthelona

Went to Parc Guelle, Sagrada Familia and then to Cal Pep for a FANTASTIC 6 course tapas gastronomic orgy (each plate offered generous portions)
1. Smelts with deep fried / salted green pepers (small)
2. Clams w Iberian Ham served in one of the most flavorful broths I've ever had
3 Gently sautéed squid, the flavor of the squid was not overpowered
4 3 types of croquettas - ham, spinach, cheese
5 Monk fish with thinly sliced scalloped potatoes cooked in butter
6 Pork/duck fois gras sausage with beans in a port reduction
7 Café con leches with a very tasty éclair, the pudding inside had been caramelized like a crème brulee

It was a f%^Y& delicious lunch, about e106 + tip e10.

Here is a pic of a terrace from the roof of the remarkable La Pedrera

Hiatus

Busy at a currently stressful job, one would think would push me into the garden as a retreat. Murder mysteries and sudoku and hot cocoa at the end of the day have instead been the salve. I've ordered a good deal of custom trellis to cover the walls. The character of the garden will change with the greening of the walls. Stepanoitis, with it's beautiful thick, dark green leaves is potted and ready to begin taking hold of the trellis that is going to wrap 3 sides of the western pillar. It will get enough sun I think to remain nice and green and put out what are supposed to be quite a pretty display of simple, white scented flowers in the spring. Not sure what will go on the east pillar. Bougainvillea will be trained on both of the outside walls which receive 6+ of sun.

I've gotten a thumbs down on my palm tree. The critic said it wasn't a good fit. Maybe. But it provides some shade- an interesting sunny / dappled shade as the fronds are blown around, it breaks up the sun enough to be quite useful. We'll seen. I've decided that I don't have room for a solanum macranthum.. it can be cut back, but it only flowers on new growth, it grows quick and the large leaves choke out the light for the lower leaves to fill in. It becomes leggy.

1-Naphthaleneacetic acid

Having replinished my supply of Superthrive, I watered a dry bamboo. Snake oil or miracle of modern chemistry? The bamboo seems to like it. http://www.superthrive.com/indexa.html

SUPERthrive was developed by Dr. John A. A. Thomson. He was the first chemist to receive the National Lawn & Garden Marketing & Distribution Association's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006

All aboard!

I've pushed the purchase button and here's what's on the way-- in a dark 'statuary bronze' metal -from http://www.gardenmetalwork.com/. I shopped around and the prices here, for custom sized sections, are reasonable.

Grid Trellis 7' Wide x 4' High Grid Trellis powder coated

Statuary bronze ***Special 2" brackets***

2 x 301.00 = 602.00
These will go on the east and west walls

Grid Trellis 22" Wide x 7' High Grid Trellis powder coated

Statuary bronze ***Special 2" brackets***

1x 157.70 = 157.70
This will go against interior wall to hold purple bougie up

Grid Trellis 18" Wide x 42" High Grid Trellis powder coated

Statuary bronze ***Special 2" brackets***

6x 85.20 = 511.20
These will go around the 3 top sides of the square pillars.

$1,359.18 (including this for reference, given the size of the order, this is reasonable).

We're going to Barcelona/Mallorca for 10 days at the end of this month. We've gotten the gardens, Gaudy and food mapped out. This means, however, that the Stephanotis will have to wait until we return and the trellises are up to be placed in it's final resting spot. 

A child of my laziness, this is a serious trellis hopefullly able to hold some demanding vines / ramblers.
Statuary bronze. 2" spacers to float it out from the wall.