Summer is almost here and nature is doing its thing.
Flowering: zinnia (left), sunflower (middle), butterfly bush (right)There's been a whirlwind of work, a lot of it focused on dealing with the wind and watering.
Suffering from wind and/or thirst, but hanging on: quince (left), blueberry (middle), beech (right)On some days the progress feels encouraging, on others the pile of things to do seems to keep growing. The plants are growing, too.
Thriving: walnut (left), prickly pear (middle), casuarina (right)The wild plants are also growing strong, whether wanted (top: kermes oak and heather) or not (bottom: wild blackberries and eucalyptus)We knew from the beginning that not everything we planted was going to make it.
Didn't make it: a beech (left), sea buckthorn (middle), and unidentified (right).Hope creeps in, though – perhaps they will? And then you find something with dry leaves and the dream chips a little.
Dead after a strong start: Spanish broom (left), beech (center), blueberry with fruit (right)A week later it comes back and you start hoping again.
Coming back from the dead: poplar (left), Pyrenean oak (middle), avocado (right)We do what we can, remind ourselves to enjoy the ride, and keep observing.
Are these still going to make it? Who knows...Some of the growth is unexpectedly nuts! Left: walnut, right: almonds.