Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Caper capers


Here I am, back again. Not only did I have to wait quite a while for my new camera to arrive but there was a massive thunderstorm and a direct hit by lightning took out the internet for a fortnight. All back now and crossed fingers it stays this way.
A pleasing arrival during this blackout was the flowering of the caper plants that I planted in the crevices of the stonework on the terraces. Capers are very exotic looking plants but they have need no for water at all, growing happily high up on the walls of ancient Italian cities. So it is nice to have the odd specimen a bit closer to ground where the flowers can be appreciated. If a pot grown plant is too big to squeeze into the crevice then you can plant the seed pods in autumn pushed into a gap with a bit of compost. But I am told that they need limestone conditions so if in doubt stick a chunk of concrete in there with it.
Y

4 comments:

Carol said...

Nice to see you back on your blog Yvonne! What a gorgeous flower and I am assuming you are speaking of the yummy caper berries that compliment so many fish dishes? I had no idea it had such an exquisite flower. Thanks! I certainly hope you have no more lightning hits nearby!

joco said...

About time too!
You didn't have withdrawal systems then, without the internet? I would have taken up residence at the nearest library ;-)

Will you remember to show us the berries when they are ripe in the autumn? I love plants that look after themselves in the cracks of stonework. Probably not the right climate in the UK.
jo

Neal said...

If you ever need examples of how not to garden in Umbria I am more than happy to share my experiences. I have the poorest Orto di terrazzo ever, my tomoatos are pathetic, chillies barely out of the ground and parsley dying.

Yvonne said...

Thank you both for taking an interest in the caper plant - I will indeed try to remember to post a photo of the berries if & when they appear.
I have to confess that the lack of internet was pretty difficult to deal with - I spent a lot of time during the first week using a kind friend's Wifi but the second week I went on a business trip to Singapore - where everything works perfectly despite the continual electric storms they have there.
Y