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                         a   S T A M M E R  project              

2009 March 14 to 16, Saturday to Monday

The garden house is practically no longer visible from the air: the same top soil layer that was dug from the ground lays now on top of the building. A sympathetic neighbour came along with his tractor and in 5 loads the soil was lifted onto the roof.

The shovel couldn't reach high enough to turn the bucket so we emptied the bucket by hand.
Sunday 10:09

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The soil was extended on top of the layer of expanded clay pellets (Arlita). I planted Sedum and Sempervivum species  (Sedum sediforme, S. acre, S. album, S. angelica, S. reflexum & Sempervivum tectorum ) in the soil, between temporal 'books' of straw bales, to retain humidity.

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The layer of soil is only about 5 cm thick but it exerts quite a weight on the walls. The white Cordstraps lost their tension and hung loosely. It also became clear that some corrections need to be made, probably with heave stones on the roof and braces under the protruding roof. The recently installed door didn't fit anymore in its casing. More on this in oncoming entries.
In principle we have to wait now for about 6 weeks for the roof to settle and start with the plastering of the straw bale walls.

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More news from the bulb plot. All 5 bulbs of the blue Scilla bifolia, planted last autumn,  started to flower. Native for countries like France and Italy, its autochthonous status for Spain doesn't seem very clear.

Another bulb that is about to flower, the Wild tulip, Tulipa sylvestris, is native for Aragon, where it grows on stony and sunny places.

Emerging flower of Tulipa sylvestris.
Saturday 16:27

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Wet straw bales are an ideal growing medium for mushrooms and these days there was a surprising proliferation of an Inky cap species (Coprinus). They appear overnight and disappear equally fast when the sun starts to shine on them.

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The upper pond was full of spawn from the Natterjack toad (Epidalea  calamita), especially in the shallow, warmer section. These toads make a deafening noise when night falls. I found the dead bodies of two Natterjacks, perhaps killed by a heart attack during an orgy at night.

introduction
floristic catalogue
faunistic catalogue
contact
index
gallery 1: 2006-2012
gallery 2: 2012-
map
>> 2009 Mar 27
<< 2009 Mar  6