This was a fun way to spend the morning. A man with a flatbed truck and crane arrived to move the container and the Dog House (ex Wendy House). A crane is 'grua' in Spanish, and so the Company name was appropriately Gruafuerte. We (actually David) had to climb onto the top of the container to attach the lifting chains taking care not to put his foot through the rotten roof.
Then on to the truck and a quick trip round into the field where we had made a couple of concrete pads for the container to sit on.
After that the Dog House was a doddle. Everyone was curious to know what kind of huge dog we are going to have. I explained that the house needs to be reasonably large as this is also where I will be banished to if I don't behave. (It is nice when you crack a joke in their language and they understand).
I was somehow reminded of the Wizard of Oz as it was being unloaded. I could almost see Dorothy at the window.
After all the fun it was back to work. The large Hibiscus shrubs had to be dug out to make way for the new car port. (More of that later). As the ground was too stony and we did not have a breaker on the JCB we dug temporary holes and heeled the plants in out in the field. We did manage to dig one large hole and the largest Hibiscus was plonked in. This has a rather nice white flower with a red centre. The weather has been very very windy, so not exactly ideal conditions for transplanting large shrubs. I watered it well in and tied some shade netting onto the fence to shelter it from the drying wind. The colour of the netting looks good with the wall. We must extend it around the property.
After all the fun it was back to work. The large Hibiscus shrubs had to be dug out to make way for the new car port. (More of that later). As the ground was too stony and we did not have a breaker on the JCB we dug temporary holes and heeled the plants in out in the field. We did manage to dig one large hole and the largest Hibiscus was plonked in. This has a rather nice white flower with a red centre. The weather has been very very windy, so not exactly ideal conditions for transplanting large shrubs. I watered it well in and tied some shade netting onto the fence to shelter it from the drying wind. The colour of the netting looks good with the wall. We must extend it around the property.
Digging holes is building up a nice store of building stone. I have a number of small garden walls planned. The downside of digging holes is cutting through power cables. Oops!
We have planted Casaurina, Canary palms, and Dragon trees outside the front gate to demarcate our land and to provide some shelter from the north east wind.
Antonio, the JCB driver, is a policeman in his spare time (or is it the way around?). Anyway, he is back tomorrow morning to finish the new drive.
Yes it does still look like a building site but believe me it is starting to take shape and when I get it planted it is going to look really nice.
