Once washed over by the ancient rivers and streams that formed this piece of flat land at the foot of steep hills, my section has small outcroppings of some fairly hefty rocks.
They are made of leverite.
Leave 'er right there.
Not really flat, it has gentle undulations that speak of movement and create interest. The last thing I want is a man in an earthmoving machine let loose on here trying to move rocks and flatten it all out ("to make a lawn" he said). It's why I'm laboriously digging all this gorse by hand.
Our rock outcroppings suggest olive trees, so although my landscaping plans focus on NZ natives (low maintenance in their own environment) olive trees planted on strategic 'lumps' in the landscape will supplement the food production and add their subtle colours.
The time I spent living in Greece, while blighted by COVID and BREXIT issues, was possibly the most relaxed of my adult life. (I could rave but go and read Linda's Blog at Local-Kiwi-Alien to get the best possible Kiwi take on living in Greece. Linda made it her home decades ago.)
As a tribute to my Greek friends, their hospitality and kindness my first olive tree is a variety named El Greco.
Why use Spanish to call it The Greek? I guess most Kiwis would struggle to make sense of O Ellinikos (or worse Ο Έλληνας).
Anyway it is olives for eating rather than oil production. I've no plans to mess about trying to extract a cup full of oil with small equipment in a domestic kitchen.
Greek olive oil will always be better.
Your own little patch of Greece all the way down under.
ReplyDeleteWow your a convert lol
ReplyDeleteEveryone says the Mediterranean diet is what makes you healthy.
It’s not.
It’s the fact that they don’t stress or hurry for anyone
And that is why they don’t drop from heart disease, or strokes.
I agree with you there Angela. It's not only the diet. But ask any Greek and they'll insist their lives are full of stress and anxiety. But their lives are also full of family and celebration
DeleteEl Greco is a famous name. He's Greeces most well known artist. Now you'll have the best of Greek olive trees in NZ 😊
ReplyDeleteMy niece is importing local Poros olive oil and it should be on sale in NZ before Xmas! Hers is elle_oil. Named for the ellines (Hellines) and her Greek cousin Elli she says.
Meantime up in the Bay of Plenty my sis in law is planting Thessaloniki tomatoes. She says they're the biggest and most flavoursome she's ever grown.
You can't eat a lawn apart from anything else!
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteOh yes, something to look forward to... any garden that produces food is the better garden, in my view - though a few pretty (edible) flowers can make it a thing of joy, too. Lawns are definitley over-rated! YAM xx
Olive trees are so attractive. You could have your own small grove!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing your El Greco thrive!
ReplyDeleteOlive oil is the best and most healthy for us humans or so I've heard, do you need 2 to pollenate each other is 1 ok these days
ReplyDeleteEl Greco is allegedly self fertile but I'm planning to have at leady three table varieties so plenty of cross pollination.
Delete