CASA DE LOS BATES, MOTRIL

Last weekend I finally got in to see the wonderful gardens of Casa de los Bates in Motril. I had been meaning to visit for years. Ignaki met me and showed me around the splendid house which operates as a small but special hotel. Seven bedrooms, the kind of personal service and attention to detail that hotels used to offer as standard.

But, of course, it was the splendid gardens that i wanted to see most. It took four years for Ignaki, his mother and brothers to renovate house and gardens after they bought the place in 1994. Hard work, but it has paid off. The gardens are glorious. Many of the plants and trees first arrived at the coastal port of Motril centuries ago from Cuba and North America. The water gardens are reminiscent of those at the much more famous Generalife at the Alhambra Palace. It's my sort of garden. Allowed to be itself and not over formal. Lots of nooks and crannies. A gorgeous grotto. There's something to discover and admire around every corner.

The XIX century house itself is of Cuban influence but originally that was only the hunting lodge.

The work goes on to bring the gardens back to their former glory. Where the former bigger palace stood, facing the house, a new construction is underway. It will be built in a style sympathetic to the original palace. It will be the venue for the many weddings that already take place at Casa de los Bates.

I had always believed that the name came from bats (i.e. the house of bats), but the owners tell me it may have actually been named after an English gardener who worked there many years ago. His names was Mr. Bates. As long as nobody is sure about the origins of the name, i will stick with the House of Bats. I can well believe they flew among the high palms and chirimoyas that surround the house. And, come dusk, they still do.

To walk the gardens by yourself will cost 3 euros per person. For a guided tour the charge is 6 Euros (Ignaki is worth every penny as a guide). But to truly enjoy the tranquility and splendour of the place, why not have dinner in the restaurant or stay in one of the comfortable rooms. You can see the house from the coastal road that runs between Salobreña and Motril. Yet, despite how close it is to the beaches of Playa Granada, the house and gardens are so quiet you could hear a bat fly. Indeed i feel sure that, soon after watching a super sunset from the grounds, i heard exactly that.

To contact Case de los Bates, either call (00 34) 958 349 495, e-mail info@casadelosbates.com or go to their website www.casadelosbates.com

THEN & NOW - A SPANISH GARDEN 2 YEARS ON. WHAT A TRANSFORMATION!

This week I went back to see a garden i created two years ago. Diana & Richard's garden in Pinos de Valle, near Granada, has grown at an astonishing rate (see before and after photos above). Despite the fact they are not resident at the house all year round, the plants and trees have done very well. The level of growth is breathtaking. Diana has some cutting back to do if the garden is not to turn into a living jungle!

The oleander has grown tall, the trees and climbers have blossomed and the roses Diana brought from England clearly love it here. Especially the variety Darcey Bussell.

Two hot summers ago it was very hard work to create the garden from what was a building site. Rubble dug up to make way for a pool was everywhere. I came across a particulary stubborn wire fence that was buried in the land and refused to budge. The soil was poor quality. The builder on site said it was "good campo soil." I suggest he sticks to building houses and does not go into gardening! I enriched the soil with lots and lots of compost and horse manure. Humping all those 70 litre bags of compost on to the site has proved to be worthwhile. The growth would not have been anywhere near as good without it. Any soil needs proper preparation and never more so than in the province of Granada. We have very hot and dry summers and very cold winters. When the rain comes, as it has this month of September, it arrives with persistent storms. Despite the fact that it can rain for seven days in a row; 48 hours later you would not know it had rained at all. The soil soaks it up readily.

All the garden had to begin with was a splendid old Olive tree at its centre. It now has plenty of perrenial friends!

As ever, I am delighted to see that all my hard work has paid off and that the owners, who so wanted a distinctive garden, enjoy it as much as Diana & Richard. It makes all the digging and planting worthwhile.

SNOW, RAIN, STORM & TEMPEST! PROTECT YOUR PLANTS

In my area of Granada, Spain temperatures plummeted from 36 celsius to just 16 between Friday and Monday. Heavy rain and three day storms heralded an end to the very hot, very long summer. At a higher level, the first snowfall of this coming winter fell on Sunday September 13th (as photographed above). It was a shock to all. Not least the plants. If you live at a high altitude in the Granada province, get those plants protected now. Many do not like the sudden drop in temperatures and fluctuations between hot and cold.

If in doubt cover them over or put them in the warmest, most sheltered area of your garden or patio. The sudden cold temperatures may be temporary but it only takes one cold snap to kill plants and trees that you have nurtured for months or years.

As you reach for the quilt or the electric blanket, give a thought to how cold your plants are feeling. Tonight i will be digging out the pyjamas and snuggling under the quilt. But not before i make sure the more vulnerable specimens are also protected.

MY GARDEN TRAVELS OF SPAIN

Top: fields near the castle once owned by Salvador Dali. Middle: Dali's garden. Bottom: the charming 13th village of Peratallada

When you think of the Costa Brava, do you think of gardens? No? Then think again. On my travels around Spain, admiring public and private gardens, the towns and villages of the northern Costa Brava were a joy to discover. Salvador Dali had a lovely garden to go with his castle at Pubol. The town of Begur has some splendid gardens, as do the medieval villages of the region. The pictures above were taken in the month of April. A lovely month to visit this beautiful part of the Spanish coastline and the attractive inland locations. Plenty of greenery to admire and, as you can see, looking up is a must.

THE NEW BOOK - GARDENS OF ANDALUCIA

My new book, "Gardens of Andalucia" is well underway. It will be published by www.guiribooks.blogspot.com later in the year and you can pre-order (without any financial outlay) by e-mailing nolainspain@gmail.com

It will include features on public gardens in Malaga, Granada, Cordoba and elsewhere in Andalucia. I am also visiting private gardens created by residents throughout the region. The book will tell you what grows best in each province and advise you on what to plant and how best to look after your Spanish garden, terrace or patio. We will also feature some of the best garden centres.

The book will include superb colour photographs courtesy of www.editorialguiri.blogspot.com

The book will be a must have pocket/handbag sized guide for all keen gardeners living in, or visiting the Andalucia area of Spain.

MY MORNING WALK

My regular morning walk starts earlier in these hot summer days. Up a mountain before 8am allows me to enjoy the displays of morning glory, just above my home village, whilst it is still cool enough to stand back and admire. This morning i marvelled at the number of almond trees that will soon deliver their produce. I recall seeing them in flower last Spring and breathing in their lovely aroma. Then there is the impressive Agave Americana which stands tall and proud. Behind them is the ruined Castle that once provided the sanctuary for the last Moorish King and Queen of Granada, Boabdil and Morayma. They were driven out of Granada and into the mountains of La Alpujarra. I doubt that, in the rush to escape the invading armies, they had the time i enjoyed this morning. Time to admire all the trees and plants that inland Spain has to offer those willing and able to appreciate what is on our doorstep.

If you want to stay in rooms with those views, and enjoy the same walks as me, go to www.lecrinlet.blogspot.com