Garden Photo of the Day

READER PHOTOS! Irma's community's garden in Spain

comments (20) July 11th, 2012 in blogs

Michelle Gervais, Senior Editor

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Photo: Courtesy of Irma Vitale

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Today's photos are from Irma Vitale in Marbella, Spain. According to Irma, this garden was remodelled in 2010 after being totally neglected. Irma didn't give me much more info, so I'm hoping she'll answer any questions you have in the comments. But you will find some plant info in the captions. Beautiful, Irma! It must be so nice to have this garden right outside your door. Kudos to the people who brought it back to life!

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Comments (20)

pattyspencer writes: I love you pic as well Tractor1 Posted: 1:21 am on July 12th

cwheat000 writes: Tractor1- I enjoyed the picture too. Thanks for sharing. Posted: 9:57 pm on July 11th

tractor1 writes:

meander1; thank you for your kind words. I didn't think it's a great photo but there were no digital cameras back then so I don't have too many to choose from, and a lot is lost in the scanning. I served prior to Viet Nam, I participated in the Bay of Pigs Blockade. The irony is that I enlisted in the Navy at seventeen, still in High School, and shipped off to boot camp shortly after my 18th birthday and graduation, because naturally there was a draft and I was afraid I'd end up in the Army and have to live in all that dirt, digging foxholes, latrines, and such... and here I am now digging in the dirt all the time. Looking back it was the best time of my life, and a real education in responsibility, tolerance, human nature, and acceptance. The military experience tests ones mettle like no other, I believe everyone should serve, no exceptions.

Posted: 8:21 pm on July 11th

pattyspencer writes: Michelle - yep those were the ones! Thanks! I think they are so pretty! Posted: 7:33 pm on July 11th

meander1 writes: Irma, no need to apologize for your English...it is excellent and it was so thoughtful of you to address our questions individually and so thoroughly.

tractor1, hope you don't mind me saying but... what a great picture. I love seeing my husband's old pictures from when he served in Vietnam. He looked so ridiculously young in his army fatigues and gave off that "I've got my whole life ahead of me vibe" like you do in your photo. Posted: 6:39 pm on July 11th

IrmaVitale writes: Michelle:
Thank you for allow me to share my garden photos. And forgive me for my English!!

Posted: 5:51 pm on July 11th

IrmaVitale writes: ncgardener: Thank your for your comments.
As I said before, the climate is alike the Californias´s with the added fact that Marbella has a microclimate due to the near mountains that protect it from the cool winds from the North, and the sea helps to improve the weather.
For these reasons here we can grow an ample variety of palms and tropical and subtropical plants. Posted: 5:47 pm on July 11th

tractor1 writes: Irma, thank you for your web site. I enjoyed perusing your company's various projects and they are quite interesting and some are expansive such as entire golf courses. It's been a lifetime ago I was in Rota so I'm sure much has changed for the better, but as you relate, it's still dangerous.

There I am some 50 years ago, two days before departing the US John Paul Jones DD932 for Rota and then on to becoming a civilian again. Posted: 5:38 pm on July 11th

IrmaVitale writes: meander1:Thank you for your comments.
For 4-5 years the gardens where neglected as the company in charge of them were whithout any control from the owners, until I offered my services as a Landscape designer as it was pitiful to see the plants´condition.
I added a lot of new plant material: 520 new plants in a big truck from the East coast and more than 250 from the area of Marbella. Posted: 5:36 pm on July 11th

IrmaVitale writes: cwheat000: Thank you for your comments.
I go to USA every year to see relatives in Florida and I really love the variety of plants your country has there. I have seen striking beauties in containers and gardens. Posted: 5:22 pm on July 11th

IrmaVitale writes: Tractor1: Rota is about 200 kilometers from Marbella, but the later is a turistic location.What you say is similar to a radar is a satellite dish for the community.All the houses have grilles in their windows for security reasons against robberies.
Thank you for your comments. Posted: 5:14 pm on July 11th

IrmaVitale writes: Michelle and pattyspencer: Yes, they are Agapanthus and I planted them with Hemerocallis in orange and it resulted in a good combination.Thank you for your comments.

You can share more of my garden photos in Facebook and my web page: www.irmavitale-paisajista.com Posted: 5:05 pm on July 11th

GreenGrowler writes: Irma your home AND the garden are fabulous! I'm loving stucco with a tile roof right now (fire resistant!). Landscaping and home reminds me so much of California, as ncgardener observed. Thanks for sharing from "across the pond"; you did a fantastic job. Posted: 11:56 am on July 11th

MichelleGervais writes: pattyspencer--I believe that's the agapanthus. The blue globes on tall stalks, right? Posted: 10:50 am on July 11th

pattyspencer writes: It's always a treat to see gardens from other countries. Beautiful! Did I miss it? What is the large purple/blue flowering plant? Posted: 8:57 am on July 11th

MichelleGervais writes: I got an email last night from Irma--she did, indeed, do all of the planning and construction on this garden. Good job, Irma!! Posted: 8:52 am on July 11th

tractor1 writes:

Rota, Spain was my last duty station before separation from the USN. Homes like that were very typical for housing dignitaries, they were leased short term, perhaps two years. They came with grounds/house keepers and a security contingent including dogs... residents did no gardening, no grocery shopping either. In the second picture one can see the heavily secured windows and doors and what appears to be a dish for either radar or a missle director.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naval_Station_Rota_Spain

Posted: 8:41 am on July 11th

cwheat000 writes: Beautiful job, Irma. It is always fun to see gardens from around the world. I love the lively color combos and the big blocks of color. I want to try too many plants in my own garden to achieve the same look, but I actually prefer the look you have. Posted: 8:04 am on July 11th

meander1 writes: I, like ncgardener, was also struck with how beautifully maintained everything was. It is almost hard to imagine how it would have looked in a neglected state.The grouping featuring the cordyline and pentas is particularly pleasing with all the tones working so well together.
Irma, did you add a lot of new plant material in the 2010 remodeling of the garden areas or mostly do a heroic clean-up of weeds and other unwelcome "guests"? Posted: 6:51 am on July 11th

ncgardener writes: I was stationed in Rota, Spain while I was in the military and the climate reminded me of California. Beautiful garden space in the photos and well manicured. I would love to have edging like that on my beds. Posted: 5:57 am on July 11th

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