Colour in the garden

Approaching our village on the Camino de Santiago

Asturias is not known as a Natural Paradise without reason. It's lush landscapes, almost pristine coastline, soaring majestic mountains and mosaic of many colours however, come at a price: rain. Generally speaking this temperate climate is lovely but when the rain comes it certainly makes its presence known. Hard, long, persistent and powerful rain.

As we head though Spring the colours are vivid, all around the meadows are blooming, trees are blossoming and flowers bow from bud to bloom and fade from bloom to fruit and seed. The cherry trees have suffered these past few days with the intense hard rain and occasional hailstorm. Thousands of tiny flowers have been stripped from the branches and pollinating insects have been few.

Between rain showers is is always good to wander around the garden and appreciate the beautiful spring colours in the beds, borders, trees and bushes.

We encourage a mix of semi-formal planting and wild, natural areas where orchids, bluebells and grasses can thrive.

It never ceases to amaze us how quick things can grow and spread here. Perhaps it is the warm and humid conditions.

The vegetable beds have been cleared of the last broccoli, celery and beetroot plants. Whatever we collect, we compost and add back into the beds later on in the year. We are currently harvesting cauliflowers, the last of the leeks, broccoli and mange tout. We also have many lovely local avocados kindly gifted to us by friends.