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Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Wed Dec 19, 2012 11:53 pm
by GREVILLE
This twit is going back to the Canaries tomorrow just in time to escape the forecast deluge for the holiday period icon_cheers Leaving behind my long-suffering plant-hating No.1 son in charge of the green brigade :mrgreen:

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:15 am
by Yorkshire Kris
GREVILLE wrote:This twit is going back to the Canaries tomorrow just in time to escape the forecast deluge for the holiday period icon_cheers Leaving behind my long-suffering plant-hating No.1 son in charge of the green brigade :mrgreen:

Lucky so-and-so. :mrgreen: Have a good break and bring back some sun please, I have forgotten what it feels like.

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 8:34 am
by Arlon Tishmarsh
GREVILLE wrote:This twit is going back to the Canaries tomorrow .....
I'm well trained at carrying suitcases........................ icon_thumleft

Is it a week or two weeks we're going for ....... :D

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 9:49 am
by Trudytropics
icon_sunny Have fun in the sun Greville.

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:40 am
by GREVILLE
Thanks all icon_thumright You''ll be as brown as me when I get back - from rust :lol:

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:41 pm
by GREVILLE
'Popped over' to Lanzarote as we've never been before. It's much more desert-like than Gran Canaria. Amazing volcanic terrain.

Three exotics stand out in full flower. The poinsettas, both the miniature 'florists' ones and the bigger (non-stunted) wild ones. Nearly all the bird of paradises are in bloom and the swan-necked agaves are reaching for the sky.

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:25 am
by kata
You''ll be as brown as me when I get back - from rust
:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Oh those Agaves are quite something.....have fun Greville!
P1000246.JPG
I also loved the Mandevillas.
yellowmandevilla2.png

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:41 am
by GREVILLE
Desert Garden on the north side of Lanzarote is brilliant. It's not shown off in a wild landscape setting. More as a large amphitheatre built from the volcanic rock with all the terraces planted up as 'zones' of Opuntia, Echinocereus etc. The more spectacular planting such as the giant seguros are all on the 'stage' at the bottom.

If this appears to be an artistic creation you'd be right. The most famous resident was Cesar Manrique and he built it. His influence is everywhere here.

Took some pics but the camera's juice ran out :x Hope to load what pics I did get later.

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 9:44 am
by GREVILLE
Cheers, Kata.

They had some Agaves at the garden, but there are fewer succulents and more Cacti here.

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:14 am
by kata
Thats ok Greville,

You have to see them in situ to appreciate the enormious size of the flowers. I called them 'Swan's necks.... :lol: I did buy one off ebay, small plant but it takes 10 years to come to those size flowers.

I gave it away, not waiting 10 years for a flower.... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

You could get the same effect with Foxtail Lillies if you bend them....hahaha!

icon_cheers icon_cheers

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:20 am
by Dave Brown
Been to Lanzarote 3 times over 30 years, and every time I'm glad to get back to my exotic garden. There are just so few exotics on the island, as no high mountains, and therefore no rain, therefore no water :roll: Black vulcanic ash rock is used to cover the ground, as this gets colder than the air at night, through radiation, forming condensation. This keeps most Cacti happy, but isn't enough for many succulents.

Fine if you love Desert holidays, or stay on the poolside or beach, but generally pretty boring for exotic lovers after the first few days. Madeira and North sides of Tenerife, or Gran Canaria are much more interesting, IMO :)

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:24 am
by Dave Brown
kata wrote:
I gave it away, not waiting 10 years for a flower.... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

You could get the same effect with Foxtail Lillies if you bend them....hahaha!

icon_cheers icon_cheers
Agave attenuata rosette dies after flowering. I grow them for their beauty as a plant, if you must have flowers every year you'd best buy bedding plants :wink:

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:28 am
by kata
Thats why I gave it away, not my scene except to see them in Tenerife.

I may do some Foxtail Lillies next season as a change.

icon_cheers

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 7:12 pm
by GREVILLE
This is definitely not a Canary island for an exotic garden tour. The Cactus Garden is still worth seeing as it is 'different'
But right about the beaches, Dave icon_thumleft

Re: A Canary Twitter

Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 8:25 pm
by GREVILLE
Thought I'd throw in a little weather blog:
Gran Canaria 20, 21.22 December Sunny 24c icon_sunny
Lanzarote 22nd December Sunny 23c
23rd Sunny 24c
24th Sunny 24c
25th Mostly cloudy 20c
26th Cloudy, Windy, light showers 19c
27th Sunny, windy 21c
28th Sunny 22c

Not meant to incite you to jealously - more something to look forward to :D