New Little Palms in My Chacala Garden

I woke up this morning with an uncontrollable urge to go to the other nursery in La Penita to see what plants they have today. I know I am having a little extra cash coming, so I was thinking I could spend it ahead. And I had another 100 peso($9US) budget in mindSo I got dressed, showered, ate, and tidied up and took off for the beach road. I could hear the collectivo horn tooting as the van made it’s way down from the upper part of town. So I hurried and caught it as it came to Juan’s tienda.

Halfway into Las Varas I realized I didn’t have my house key. I have been trying to remember to get an extra key made ever since I got back from Tonala. Right before I left I hid my extra key someone and I can’t find it. And I have been really afraid I would lock myself out.And last night I did. Lock myself out. Luckily, I had stashed a little tool outside. It lets me pry a window open enough to unlatch it and get inside. But that scared me enough be nervous when I couldn’t remember where my key was.

I was afraid I had locked myself out again. Plus, without my key and couldn’t get a duplicate made. So I just went back to Chacala on the same collectivo. And found my regular key where it belonged, in it's regular hiding place.The nursery on the east side of the highway, north of La Penita

So no trip to La Penita. But that’s good I think. Because I still have lots of plants to plant, and lots of starts to start, and seeds to plant. And my cash supply will last longer if I stay at home. So here I am. Taking my siesta. But I couldn’t relax so I am writing this.

When I got back from my aborted planting hunting trip, I started working on my wall. I wanted to make two places for the palms I bought yesterday. I did it, but the stone wall part I did looks really ugly compared to what Fred did yesterday.Oh well. I am happy with the little palms. I am trying to figure out what kind they are. I am going to have to look at the plants with my books in hand. According to the nursery guy, they are only supposed to grow 3 meters, and to stay leafy, providing semi-shade for my succulents. Another experiment.Tomorrow is going to be a garden day, at least until it’s too sunny. I am going to plant more seeds, and transplant as much as I can. And maybe keep working on the rock wall.

But now I am going swimming and then computing via wireless. Sitting outside, overlooking the beach and the breeze. What a nice life I have.

Building the Great (mini)Wall of Chacala

I spent alot of time this past week looking at all the stone retaining walls around Chacala. I have been trying to find a wall in a location similar to the garden wall a friend of mine, a stone-worker friend has been describing to me. He was making suggestions for a retaining wall below my succulent garden at Dona Lupe’s garden. There are many heavy downpours in Chacala during the summer nights, and I wanted to figure out how the excess water is handled here.He, Fred worked on the wall for three hours yesterday. A local friend helped him, and they worked for about three hours, and I like it alot. I can't believe they got so much done in just a few hours. They focused on the main section. I will keep working on the wall, piece by piece, but it surely won't look as good as what they did. I think the wall looks great. I don’t know how the water will move during the rainy season, but my wall-builder is confident it will be okay. There another section to do, but it’s much shorter, and I think I can handle it myself. If it’s okay with Dona Lupe.This morning I went to the Vivero / plant nursery near La Penita. It’s about ten miles or 12 miles from Chacala, I think. My budget was 100 pesos. I wanted to get some small palm trees to shade the succulents in the summer and then some portulaca type plants for the wall.He didn’t have any succulents, but he was really excited about the photos I showed him, so maybe he’ll order some. There were some palms I liked though. Not coco-palms, but another, shorter palm with a lot of foliage that I hope will shade the succulents this summer. He said they grow quickly, but outward inside of up. I hope I understood him, and that he’s right.They were $30 pesos ($2.70US) each, and I got two. I would have gotten three, and still been under budget, but I was worried about carrying them, and about how I was going to fit them in a combi van.

I carried the palms out to the highway (20 feet), and waited. The first combi was crammed full of people and I waved him on. The driver was laughing, about the trees, I guess. I was standing by the side of the road in the shade, reading and watching for the next combi, when one of the fruit stand owners walked over. He told me he didn’t think any of the combi drivers would let me take my trees on the van with me. I wasn’t worried about it because someone always says okay. One time a friend and I brought 45 plants on a combi. But that was different, because we offered to pay him extra to drive us onto Chacala after Las Varas.Anyway, he, Ramon, offered to take me to Las Varas for 40pesos ($3.60) and I went for it. He had some kind of hatchback and the palms fit in perfectly. Ramon was a nice careful driver and he made fun of the cars that were passing us. That was great. My kind of driver.
When we to Las Varas the Las Varas-Chacala combi was at the stop. The driver let me load the palms in the back. I promised to sit under the foliage if he got a full load. When we waited about 10 more minutes, while I visited with Aurora’s aunt (and Chico’s sister) for awhile. She was born in Chacala about 75 years ago. She said Chico was 2 when they moved there. She said there was no town or road. Just the beach, some other families, and fruit growing wild. At least I think that’s what she said.

The driver had to drop a worker off at the Marina gate, so I got a ride right to my steps. Now I need to finish the rest of the wall, so I can plant the two palms on the south west side of the garden. I hope this plan will work. That there will be enough shade so the succulents won’t melt in the sun.

I have been reading a Phoenix home and garden magazine I found at the Guadalajara Airport, and it sounds as though Phoenix is too hot for some succulents without protection. That kind of worries me, but life is just one great big experiment anyway, whether I like it or not.

Working on the Garden Wall, in Chacala

Frederick has been visiting in Chacala for the past month or so. He builds stone structures in garden landscapes professionally.He gave me some advice and suggestions for my new little garden this evening. He has just finished a lovely little wall for Aurora, and was willing to take a look at what I have been doing.
It’s kind of embarrassing to compare my crude stone “walls” to the nice stonework he did for Aurora, but, after all, he’s a professional. And he didn’t he sneer at what I had done. He was very polite about my messy little rock piles.Fred had a some really good suggestions. When I get someone to help me move the bigger rocks around the place, he says hecan direct the placement of the rocks in the new little section of wall. That would be great.
Euloia, my landlady’s husband came by when Fred and I were looking of the rock pile next to my new wall. He has been clearing a patio in the gated development. Using his machete. He looked tired and proud of having worked for money all week. He looked very exhausted when he walked up. He’s 74 years old and puts in a full days work. On occasion.

Fred speaks Spanish with his crew at home, and he and Euloia really hit it off. I love seeing Euloia’s expressions when he feels respected and valued for his skills. Fred was very man-to-man with him, and Euloia had the sweetest smile on his face. He drives me crazy sometimes, but sometimes he’s very lovable. Atleast when he isn’t killing my plants with his machete, or drowning them with water.

I have been wanting to go back to the plant nursery, but I think I will have to wait a few weeks, until I get some more money. So meanwhile, I am going to scout around for some palms and other plants that are growing around Chacala. In the streambed and here and there. Plants I can dig up and transplant. I have a my own shovel now, so I am ready to go. And I am using my trusty Target trowel I brought from the U.S. more than three years ago.I almost didn’t bring any garden tools with me when I came to Chacala. And I really glad I have my trowel and small pruners. And my son brought my bigger pruners down last time he visited, so I am pretty set.

I need some plants that will shade my succulents in the hot, sunny summer months. Or at least partially shade them during the middle of the day. And I am planting the seeds I have been collecting from plants and from the tienda. So soon I will have some more coleus and portulaca and some other plants to put out.
Yesterday I planted some of my remaining Bird of Paradise plants in the little garden area above my succulent garden. They didn’t look too happy this afternoon, but maybe by tomorrow they will have revived.

A Garden in Chacala

One of my favorite families in Chacala is Isreal and Chata's family. And their six unit rental (Mirador) is one of my favorite rentals in Chacala.And their staircase garden, from their property down to the ocean walkway, is my favorite garden in Chacala.Isreal gardens for some of the families in gated development next to Chacala, in addition to other enterprises, and Chata managed the families rentals and gardens at home.This staircase is just beautiful. It is in bloom for about three months at a time. I don't have my plant book with me, but I will add name of the vine later. It's called Flame Vine here, but I don't think that's the real name.

Beach Birds in Chacala

This morning I walked on the Chacala playa early when the sun was still coming up. I liked watching this bird hopping around. He didn't seem to care when the waves inundated him. Very persisant little bird.

Succulent Garden in Chacala

I worked on my new little Chacala garden space early this morning, before the sun got too high in the sky. Yesterday I stayed out too long, until about 10am, and got too hot and too much sun.But this morning I worked from about 6:30-8:30am and then was pretty much finished. Except for watering in my new plants. I had to wait about an hour for the town water to come on. Sat around with some neighbors, waiting for the water to come on, and talked about this and that.I am kind of worried about maybe there being too much sun this summer, and too much rain for these plants. I am picturing everything being washed away during one of the nightly gullywashers in August and September. I guess all gardens are just experiments, so I will just wait and see.My favorite succulent from San Miguel is this one with sort of flat, paddle-like leaves with red edges. It's kind of in the center of this photo. It has some pups coming up from the base. I am going to wait until the plant seems established before I separate the babies.The plants in this new little garden are mostly cutting grown from the succulent plant I bought in San Miguel last October. Cuttings really do well here. Everything grows very quickly.I am intending to terrace off the rest of this little hillside, and to fill it with portulaca, and other drooping plants. But I have to wait to get more dirt. And some gloves.Frederick, who is helping Aurora re-build a garden retaining wall I built a few years ago, got a scorpion bite on his finger yesterday morning, while he was moving rocks for the wall. So I am especially worred about scorpions these days. It was a very minor bite, but it's still scary.My Desert Roses seem to be in trouble. Some of the leaves are yellowing and discoloring. I am changing their pots and dirt, and hoping that helps. And fertilizing. Some the little ones are going directly in the ground. I am curious about how they will do.I haven't planted very many plants directly in the dirt here. But the bouganvilleas and other plants I put in the ground at Aurora's two years ago are mostly looking great, so we'll see. Many gardener here have their plants only in pots. I can't figure out how people decided how to plant things: in a pot, or the dirt. I guess I will keep experimenting.

Gardenin' Angel in Chacala

A Primavera tree, in full bloom last week.

Sheri, my garden angel, will only be in Chacala a few more days. Then she’s back to Oakland CA, where she runs Merciari Design, her garden/landscape/design and installation outfit. I will miss her a lot.Sheri and family

Yesterday afternoon we hung around in the area in front of Dona Lupe’s house. Sheri came up with some very nice and very do-able plans for each of the five spaces in front of the house. These are the small flatish dirt spaces where I am hoping to plant the succulents and other tropical plants I have been growing in pots the past six months of so.

I have felt kind of stymied for months, but the plan Sheri come up with seems doable and will use the plants I have been growing from starts. I am worried about how things will work during the rainy season, when there can be nightly floods for weeks at a time. But, this a is learning experience, and mistakes are okay. Besides I can probably dig up whatever plants may or may not get washed away and replant them.

We decided to start with the nicest space, where Dona Lupe, or someone has built a rock training wall about 3 feet high on the east side, and the sidewalk * curves around the planting area on the north and west sides, and a steep slope down to the road level is on the south side. It’s a little triangle about 10X12 feet, sort of.Gardenia in front of the house. It's covered with blossoms.

I think Sheri’s son, Fred, who is in Chacala too, is going to give me some ideas about how to make one terrace about 20 feet long, running from the house to the west end of the new space. It will be made of two low rock walks, facing south.

I have an injured wrist, so I am not moving rocks right now. I am probably going to find someone to move rocks for me. Someone who doesn’t mind following directions from an old woman.

Yesterday Sheri used a pry bar, to kind of dig up the soil in the new bed. The pry bar was necessary since we couldn’t find a regular shovel or a pick around here. I think the dirt looked a lot better than either of us expected. The dirt is clay and gravel mostly and very sticky. Sheri thinks the succulents won’t mind the soil. And I am hopeful.This morning I removed a pile of small bricks from one side of new the bed, and then watered it heavily while the town water was on. That’s the only time I can water with a hose. So I have to time my gardening efforts in sync with when the water is running, usually sometime in the morning for three hours or so.

Then I started carrying the plants that are going in the first bed from the side of the house over to the sidewalk nice to the bed. I just realized that I don’t want to plant in the new space until the rocks are in place to hold the second bed, the long skinny terrace on the south side of the lot. So I am taking a snack break and thinking things over.

*Sidewalks are very unusual in Chacala. About two years ago someone built a set of concrete stairs and a sidewalk in front of Dona Lupe’s. It connects the house and the paved road. Before that there was a steep hillside in front of the house with some “steps” scratched into the dirt. Very dangerous and very slippery during the rainy season.

Creating a New Garden Space, in Chacala

Sheri, my garden angel, will only be in Chacala a few more days. Then she’s back to Oakland CA, where she runs Merciari Design, her garden/landscape/design and installation outfit. I will miss her a lot.

Yesterday afternoon we hung around in the area in front of Dona Lupe’s house. Sheri came up with some very nice and very do-able plans for each of the five spaces in front of the house. These are the small flatish dirt spaces where I am hoping to plant the succulents and other tropical plants I have been growing in pots the past six months of so.

I have felt kind of stymied for months, but the plan Sheri come up with seems doable and will use the plants I have been growing from starts.I am a little worried about how things will work during the rainy season, when there can be nightly floods, sometimes for weeks at a time. But, this a is learning experience, and mistakes are okay. Besides I can probably dig up whatever plants may or may not get washed away and replant them.We decided to start with the nicest space, where Dona Lupe, or someone has built a rock training wall about 3 feet high on the east side, and the newish sidewalk * curves around the planting area on the north and west sides, and a steep slope down to the road level is on the south side. It’s a little triangle about 10X12 feet, sort of.I think Sheri’s son, Fred, who is in Chacala too, is going to give me some ideas about how to make one terrace about 20 feet long, running from the house to the west end of the new space. It will be made of two low rock walks, facing south.I have an injured wrist, so I am not moving rocks right now. I am probably going to find someone to move rocks for me. Someone who doesn’t mind following directions from an old woman.

Yesterday Sheri used a pry bar, to kind of dig up the soil in the new bed. The pry bar was necessary since we couldn’t find a regular shovel or a pick around here. I think the dirt looked a lot better than either of us expected. The dirt is clay and gravel mostly and very sticky. Sheri thinks the succulents won’t mind the soil. And I am hopeful.This morning I removed a pile of small bricks from one side of new the bed, and then watered it heavily while the town water was on. That’s the only time I can water with a hose. So I have to time my gardening efforts in sync with when the water is running, usually sometime in the morning for three hours or so.

Then I started carrying the plants that are going in the first bed from the side of the house over to the sidewalk nice to the bed. I just realized that I don’t want to plant in the new space until the rocks are in place to hold the second bed, the long skinny terrace on the south side of the lot. So I am taking a snack break and thinking things over.*Sidewalks are very unusual in Chacala. About two years ago someone built a set of concrete stairs and a sidewalk in front of Dona Lupe’s. It connects the house and the paved road. Before that there was a steep hillside in front of the house with some “steps” scratched into the dirt. Very dangerous and slippy during the rainy season.