Garden Update – May 2015

Posted on May 19, 2015 by thecompletebook

It has been quite a long while since I have shared a garden update so here are a few close ups of our wintery garden for you.

A little rusty but still works a treat

Young and tender Brazilian pepper corns

We have planted spekboom around the perimeter of our garden – can’t wait for it to fill out – need to do a post on this incredible plant

Pete’s protea keeps on growing and growing

Our very first and only olive

Poor pot has been waiting forever for something to be planted in it

The last of the fig leaves

Love how ferns are green all year around

Quite normal having coral in the garden

Water tank tap is nearly hidden

A lot of cat claws have been sharpened here

46 thoughts on “Garden Update – May 2015”

Kristy on May 19, 2015 at 01:32 said:

I love that you still have color in the winter. That’s my biggest complaint about our winters, the lack of color. Love that little olive. So cute! You have a beautiful garden Mandy. 🙂

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:09 said:
  
  I have just planted a few winter flowering plants in pots – I will take a few shots and share them soon. Have a great day Kristy. 🙂 xo
  
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Norma Chang on May 19, 2015 at 02:14 said:

Thanks for the garden tour, you have some very gorgeous and interesting plants, the bird of paradise is so beautiful. What you call spekboom looks like a jade plant. What are you going to plant in your lovely garden pot?

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:12 said:
  
  I will have to google a jade plant Norma. Spekboom is such a fascinating plant. I will do a post next week dedicated to it. I have not quite decided what is going in the pot, but I think I will plant a “mother in laws tongue” which gorws extremely well here, even indoors. Have a super week. 🙂 xo
  
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Bam's Kitchen on May 19, 2015 at 03:52 said:

Beautiful photos Mandy! I have been thinking about getting ferns for our apartment as I heard they help with cleaning the air and living here I need all the help I can get…

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:13 said:
  
  Thanks Bam! Oh, you should definitely get spekboom. I will do a post on it next week. Most incredible plant! Didn’t know that about ferns – our back garden is riddled with ferns so I must be getting extra doses of clean air. How wonderful! Have a great day. 🙂 xo
  
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Angie@Angie's Recipes on May 19, 2015 at 04:41 said:

I want a brazilian peppercorn plant! And those succulent plants are looking very healthy!

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:13 said:
  
  Angie, I would send you one in a heart beat if I could. Our tree in the back garden is HUGE! Have beautiful day. 🙂 xo
  
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hotlyspiced on May 19, 2015 at 06:56 said:

Your succulents are gorgeous. I love the one and only olive! And the rusty windmill is just gorgeous xx

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:15 said:
  
  Thanks so much Charlie. Dear olive has just got a mate – so we are now proudly watching 2 olives grow and turn purple. The little windmill gets a quick spray of WD40 every now and again when it starts squeaking. Have a lovely day. 🙂 xo
  
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Chica Andaluza on May 19, 2015 at 10:37 said:

It all looks so lush and green…really beautiful! Now, as I am in Spain, would you like to send me your olive and I can arrange to have it crushed for you?!

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:16 said:
  
  Hee hee, wouldn’t that be wonderful. Shame, poor little lonesome olive was obviously getting a little bit of a complex as just yesterday I saw a second one hiding away. Have a great day Tanya. 🙂 xo
  
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  - Chica Andaluza on May 19, 2015 at 16:11 said:
    
    I thought you were going to say he dropped off the tree, never to be seen again!
    
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    - thecompletebook on May 20, 2015 at 11:46 said:
      
      Oh my, that would have been soul destroying. xo
      
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Glenda on May 19, 2015 at 12:14 said:

One olive Mandy!!!! Poor thing.

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:17 said:
  
  Can’t believe after looking for weeks on end we have just spotted a second one. Don’t see much hope for these 2 wee olives other than rotting on the tree. They have both just started turning purple/black. Have a great day Glenda. 🙂 xo
  
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Bill on May 19, 2015 at 13:34 said:

Beautiful photos. I hope you have big plans for your olive. 🙂
We had only one blueberry one year. We gave it an honorable farewell.

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:20 said:
  
  Thanks Bill! I feel we are going to have to think of something special for our dear little olive, although we did spot a second one just yesterday so now that we have a pair, it is going to have to be an auspicious affair! Have a great day. 🙂 xo
  
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Judy @Savoring Today on May 19, 2015 at 15:06 said:

We have had rain and hail for weeks now and all I want to do is get out to the garden! Ugh, just a few more days. Your garden is lovely with such variety and I love the rusty metal art. Gardens do as much to tend our soul as we do to tend them. 🙂

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- thecompletebook on May 19, 2015 at 15:21 said:
  
  Oh Judy, I do hope the hail hasn’t done damage to your garden. I would not survive long without being able to potter around in the garden, even if I just mow the lawn. Have a great day. 🙂 xo
  
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gourmetgetaway on May 19, 2015 at 15:57 said:

Some really interesting plants growing in your garden, Mandy! Can’t wait to see more 🙂

Julie & Alesah
Gourmet Getaways xx

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- thecompletebook on May 20, 2015 at 11:46 said:
  
  Thanks so much Guys. Have an awesome day. 🙂 xo
  
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Sophie33 on May 19, 2015 at 17:02 said:

Beautiful plants, flowers & leaves in your garden! 🙂
A lovely cool post, Mandy!

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- thecompletebook on May 20, 2015 at 11:47 said:
  
  Thanks very much Sophie. Hope you are well. 🙂 xo
  
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  - Sophie33 on May 20, 2015 at 19:00 said:
    
    I am but recently, I have had a lot of chronic pain! 😦
    
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    - thecompletebook on May 21, 2015 at 11:23 said:
      
      Oh no Shophie. I am so sorry to hear that. I hope you are up and at em again ASAP! xo
      
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      - Sophie33 on May 22, 2015 at 10:12 said:
        
        Thanks, sweety! xxx
      - thecompletebook on May 22, 2015 at 11:18 said:
        
        xo
My Inner Chick on May 19, 2015 at 23:15 said:

Lovely Greens, darling Mandy!
And an Olive tree!! WOW. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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- thecompletebook on May 20, 2015 at 11:50 said:
  
  Aww, you are always so complimentary Kim, thank you! Love to you dear. 🙂 xoxoxo
  
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dianeskitchentable on May 19, 2015 at 23:27 said:

You’re wintry garden doesn’t look anything like my wintry garden at all. Everything looks very lovely but I really love that rusted windmill. I’m on a big kick about things that have an aged & banged up look – they just seem to have more personality.
Poor little olive. I’m glad you found 1 more so you & Pete don’t have to argue over it. One martini for each of you I guess.

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- thecompletebook on May 20, 2015 at 11:52 said:
  
  I agree Diane, things that are aged definitely have more personality. Woohoo, what a brilliant idea, a martini each it shall be. Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
  
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Tricia @ Saving room for dessert on May 20, 2015 at 02:55 said:

Oh you have limes and an olive! How awesome. Love all those succulents. Very pretty all around.

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- thecompletebook on May 20, 2015 at 11:58 said:
  
  We also have a peach tree. 😀 We have such a short season though with the fruit in our garden. Have a great day Tricia. 🙂 xo
  
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Tandy | Lavender and Lime on May 21, 2015 at 06:02 said:

I have spekboom growing in our fynbos garden. Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden with us 🙂

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- thecompletebook on May 21, 2015 at 11:24 said:
  
  Gotta love spekboom! Have an awesome day Tandy. 🙂 xo
  
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Karen on May 22, 2015 at 16:27 said:

Thanks for sharing your garden with us. I hope next year you will have a bountiful crop of olives.

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- thecompletebook on June 1, 2015 at 11:28 said:
  
  Thanks so much Karen. Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
  
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Kia / The House of KTS on May 22, 2015 at 18:22 said:

I just love your garden. And let me just say, hiding your water tap is genius. I love how you did it. And I love ferns as well. Simply beautiful Mandy 🙂

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- thecompletebook on June 1, 2015 at 11:29 said:
  
  You are so kind K, thank you so much! Have a beautiful day. 🙂 xo
  
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dedy oktavianus pardede on May 23, 2015 at 22:20 said:

wow, brazilian peper is a fancy gourmet ingredients here in Indonesia,
lucky you my friend!!!

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- thecompletebook on June 1, 2015 at 11:39 said:
  
  Oh wow and we have the trees growing in abundance in our area! I should think about selling it. 😀 Have a great day Dedy. 🙂 xo
  
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  - dedy oktavianus pardede on June 1, 2015 at 14:49 said:
    
    how great, i purchased the dried pink pepper for 20 USD for a damn bottle of 50 grams
    
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    - thecompletebook on June 1, 2015 at 15:54 said:
      
      Oh my goodness me, that is exorbitant! I really should look into drying and selling.
      
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Sally on May 24, 2015 at 13:04 said:

Crystal clear pics – just beautiful. Love that rusty, windmill thingy

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- thecompletebook on June 1, 2015 at 11:39 said:
  
  You are very kind Sally. Thank you so much! Have a great day. 🙂 xo
  
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