Bournemouth 1962. Denise moved to Spain in 2000 and has worked as a translator since then. She joined the SUR in English team in 2008 and is in charge of the cultural agenda as well as being the resident gardening expert.
Seguir por emailRecibe un email cuando Denise Bush publique un nuevo trabajo
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The copious rainfall of the last few months and the arrival of the warmer, more spring-like, weather has boosted lots of tender, new plant growth and slugs and snails are seriously busy taking advantage of all that lush greenery. Great for the sna
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Bigelowia is a small genus of plants native to Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida in the US. It is a member of the daisy family (Asteraceaea) and although commonly called Rayless goldenrod it is not related to the similar-looking Solid
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Softwood cuttings are probably the most successful way to propagate perennials, deciduous shrubs and some trees. The 'softwood' is literally the flexible, new growth and they are the easiest to get to root. Softwood cuttings should be taken first thi
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Brillantaisia is a genus of about twenty species native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. It is commonly called Giant Sage and although it is not related to the Salvia family, it is certainly a giant. From a spring sowing it can quickly reach 8 to 1
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If you brought plants indoors over winter, or wrapped them up against the cold, then they can now slowly be hardened off. To do this the plant will need to be moved outside or uncovered, during the day and then moved back or wrapped up again at night
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The common names for this plant include, Painted nettle, Scaredy Cat plant and Piss off plant; botanically it can be found as Plectranthus caninus or Coleus canina. Like most members of the mint family Plectranthus caninus is aromatic, mainly when
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All plants have binominal names which are usually Latin but can also be based on other languages. The first part identifies the genus and the second (the specific name) the species. The genus is always written with a capital letter and the specific n
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After WWII, there was an initiative to develop alternative uses for fission energy. It was called Atoms for Peace and part of it included atomic gardening. Gamma gardens, as they are known, were created in the US, India, Japan, Europe and Russia to s
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Classic Marvel Comics Estepona. Until 31 March. Auditorio Felipe VI. This exhibition will focus on the most popular characters from Marvel comics in the 1960s-1980s, including Spiderman, X Men, The Fantastic Four, Thor and Iron Man. Juan Anto
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Although the common name is Apple of Sodom, Calotropis is a poisonous plant. Other common names include Rubber bush and King's crown, and sometimes it is known by the synonym Asclepias procera. The genus Calotropis is part of the Apocynaceae famil
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The genus viola has around 600 species which includes dog violets (commonly called Johnny Jump-Ups because they self-seed and spread everywhere), wild pansies and sweet violets. Some of them are perennial, others annuals. Pansies are a cross between
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Spiraea is a member of the Rosaceae family and is a genus of around 80 to 100 species. It has narrow, oval leaves (lanceolate) which are usually toothed. The tiny white or pink flowers appear from late spring and through the summer and either form in
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Aristea, is a genus of plants in the Iridaceae (Iris) family. The fifty five species in the genus are found distributed throughout Africa and Madagascar. Aristea major, synonym A. capitata, is native to South Africa. Its common name is Blue sceptre a
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Holocaust Remembrance Day Marbella. Until 3 March. Galería Yusto /Giner, C/Madera 9. Daniel Solomons' 'Olam haba / The World to Come' is an exhibtion to mark the International Holocaust Remembrance and Prevention of Crimes Against Humanity Day
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Exquisitely fragrant in the evening, Zaluzianskya capensis, commonly known as Midnight Candy or Nightscented Phlox, is native to South Africa and can be used as a container plant or for ground cover. It is a member of the Scrophulariaceae family (f
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This amazing Cymbidium orchid belongs to Tom McClenaghan who says he has had it for seven years and apart from watering it occasionally and repotting it, he hasn't paid it much attention. It produced some long stems before Christmas and has been fl
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Luculia is a genus with just five species. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to the Himalayas in China, Nepal, India and Bhutan. It is a member of the Rubiaceae family which includes gardenia, hamelia and coffee. Luculia can reach six m
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Fabaceae is commonly called the pea / bean family. It is the third biggest plant family after Orchidaceae (orchids) and Asteraceae (daisies) with approximately 700 genera and 18,000 species. There are three sub families within Fabaceae, Papilionaceae
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The Fuchsia genus is native to Tahiti, New Zealand and the West Indies as well as Central and South America. Millions of years ago these countries were all part of the land mass known as Gondwana and when it started to divide into continents and drif
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Andalucía started celebrating the festive season over a month ago, and throughout the month of December not a day has gone by without an event happening somewhere in the region. The festivities are still continuing with the most recent being the Fies
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Residents of Nerja are being encouraged to take part in the town hall's new initiative 'Nerja Decide' which runs until 14 January. The council is hoping that residents will put forward suggestions on how to improve the town. A form can be downloade
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The Cervantes Theatre in Malaga has some spectacular shows planned over the Christmas period. CONCERTS uWhere: Teatro Cervantes, C/Ramos Marín, Malaga. uTickets: www.unientradas.es or from the box office. Today, Friday 22 December, is a concer
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African hemp, also called Cape stock rose, Cape hollyhock, House Lime and African linden, is native to South Africa. Its botanical name is Sparmannia africana after the Swedish botanist Dr Anders Sparmann who travelled with Captain Cook on his second
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There's always something that needs doing in the garden and now that the colder weather is here it's safe to cut back acers, vines and mid to late-summer flowering clematis without them 'bleeding' excessively. Hardwood cuttings can be taken now and a
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Begoniaceae is the fifth largest angiosperm (seed producing, flowering plants) genus with nearly 2,000 species. It's not surprising then there are many species of Begonia that are not as well known as others. All gardeners will be familiar with the b
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The nights are getting colder and if you live inland you should start lifting tender perennial plants such as cannas and dahlias. They should be dug up and placed in a box of just-damp compost in a cool, airy place. Nearer the coast it should be s
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Siberian bugloss or Brunnera macrophylla, is a woodland plant and member of the Boraginaceae family. It is equally valued for its attractive foliage as for its pretty little blue flowers which appear in spring and it is often grown in borders among s
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This vine is native to Mexico and is also known as Asarina barclaiana, Mexican Viper, Climbing Snapdragon and, misleadingly, since there are several plants that share this name, Angel's Trumpet. Maurandya barclayana is a twining, woody based peren
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If you are lucky enough to have some tropical plants in pots you may be thinking about bringing them indoors or at least somewhere where they will be protected from the wintry weather. It's not enough to carry or drag the pot into the corner of a
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Light pruning of roses now will help to prevent wind damage in the interim before the hard pruning in winter. The warm autumn has meant that many roses have continued to grow unchecked and have developed long, whippy stems. In high winds these can
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The Canary Island foxglove, botanical name Isoplexis or Digitalis canariensis, is a perennial, woody shrub up to 1.5 metres tall with glossy green, serrated leaves and spikes of apricot or orange flowers with reddish anthers. Common names include
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It may still seem like summer but the rains can't be far away now and prevention is always better than cure, especially when waterlogging is involved. Plant roots need air to survive although only in tiny amounts. If the soil gets very wet, the plant
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We know that many of our readers have lovely gardens, or enjoy growing plants on their terraces or balconies, so why not share them with others? Email your photos to english@diariosur.es or send them to SUR in English, Avda Dr Marañón 48, 29009 Ma
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The Bugle lily, also called Beatrice watsonia, is an evergreen perennial, unlike montbretia which dies back to the ground in the winter. It is native to South Africa and is not drought or frost resistant but makes a stunning addition to a mixed borde
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Autumn is creeping in at last although daytime temperatures are still quite high. Those two days (if you were lucky) of rain last week was perfect for softening the dry, hard earth and makes planting bulbs a lot easier. Now is a good time to get spri
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Dregea sinensis, common names Chinese Dregea and Watakaka, is native to Africa and Southern Asia. It is climber that can reach approximately three metres high by the same width once it is mature, which can take up to ten years. It can be slow to get
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While it's still warm think about making or buying a compost bin, somewhere to throw all those vegetable scraps, egg shells, tea bags and coffee grounds from the kitchen and an invaluable source of lovely friable compost in ten months to a year's tim
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Debregeasia or Wild Rhea is native to East Asia, China and the Himalayas. In its native habitat it grows on the banks of streams in forests and mountain valleys. It forms an evergreen shrub reaching up to five metres tall and was traditionally an imp
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The Mountain Daisy, also commonly called the Cotton plant or Horse Daisy, belongs to the Celmisia genus of which the majority are native to New Zealand. The genus is in the Asteraceae family and consists of perennials and sub-shrubs often with silver
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Ponds need a little bit of attention in the autumn. The main problem is with falling leaves, so remove those already in the water and place a net over the whole pond to prevent anymore falling in. This is especially important if you have fish in the
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Astelia is a genus of around twenty-five species of evergreen perennial rhizatomous plants native to New Zealand. One of the most interesting of the species is A. chathamica, commonly called Silver Spear, which forms large clumps 1.2 metres tall of n
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The extremely hot and long summer has been hard for grass. September is the best month to tackle dead patches of the lawn and take steps to make sure that it comes back gleaming green for the spring. The first step is to scarify; it's easiest to do
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Common names for Macuna pruriens include Mauritius velvet bean, Pica-Pica, Bengal bean, Cowage and Itchy bean among others. It is an annual or short-lived perennial with pubescent (hairy) leaves and seed pods that can cause extreme skin irritation. T
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We know that many of our readers have lovely gardens, or enjoy growing plants on their terraces or balconies, so why not share them with others? Email your photos to english@diariosur.es or send them to SUR in English, Avda Dr Marañón 48, 29009 Ma
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Maakia amurensis, common names Amur maackia and Asiatic yellow wood, is a deciduous tree and one of 16 species in the genus Maackia. It is a member of the Fabaceae family and has the characteristic flower shape of the rest of the pea family. It is qu
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Marbella Benezra Gallery Until end of September. La Quinta, between Marbella and San Pedro. An exhibition of unique sculptures by six, internationally acclaimed artists. info@art-investments.com or benezragallery.com Andy Warhol Until 3 S
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Gomphrena globosa is native to Brazil, Panama and Guatemala but is cultivated in many countries around the world. It is prized in Hawaii for making leis, in Nepal for making garlands to celebrate 'Brother's Day' and in Trinidad the flowers are valued
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The Virginia cup plant or Silphium perfoliatum, also commonly called Roisin Weed, will reach about two metres tall once fully grown. It has a habit of sprawling through the border with the flowers peering over the top of other plants unless is it ade
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Commonly called Safflower or false saffron, Carthamus (Cártamo in Spanish) is an attractive addition to the garden. It is also highly valued commercially for the oil from its seeds which is richer in unsaturated fats than olive oil. The flowers ha
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Ligustrum japonicum 'Recurvifolium', or wavy leaf privet, is a hardy shrub or small tree. It is an evergreen with glossy, dark-green leaves which have wavy edges. The curled leaves are slightly lighter underneath and give the effect of movement, a fa
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Cladastris is a genus of nine trees, eight which are native to Asia and one to America. Cladastris kentuckea from the US is a small to medium sized deciduous tree, 10 to 12 metres tall when fully grown, and with a rounded crown between 8 to 10 metres
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Malaga Peter Doig Malaga. Until 25 June, Centro de Arte Contemporáneo. 'Studiofilmclub' is an exhibition by Scottish artist Peter Doig. It consists of posters created by the artist advertising films for his cineclub in Trinidad and Tobago. P
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Malaga The Wall Bar Malaga. Hotel Vincci Posada del Patio, 11pm, entry free. 23 June. Susan Valery and Adrian Lombardi. Jazz and vocals. 24 June. Eva Jimenez and Joan Masana. 30 June. Son de Oro. Modern neo jazz pop with vocals from Estíba
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Fuchsias should be showing lots of new growth if you remembered to cut them back hard this spring. To keep the new growth bushy and to encourage lots of flowers, trim back the stems to three or four sets of leaves. If you didn't cut them back earlier
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Oenothera is a member of the Onagraceaea family, commonly known as Evening Primrose. The most well-known evening primroses have yellow flowers but O. speciosa has delicate pale pink blooms which attract lots of pollinating insects. The blooms of most
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Pimelea ferruginea, or the rosy rice flower, is native to Australia and New Zealand. Pimelea is a genus with around 80 species in the Thymelaeaceae family; a group that includes the heavily scented shrub Daphne. Unfortunately the Pimelea is hardly sc
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1) Use nappies to line flower pots; apparently the adult ones are best as they contain tiny beads that absorb liquid and turn it into a gel, thus conserving water for the plant to take up as it needs it. 2) Mix potting compost with cat litter (this
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Polygala myrtifolia, commonly called the myrtle-leaf milkwort or September bush (La Lechera del Cabo in Spanish), is native to South Africa. It is a member of the Polygalaceae family (milkworts) which has 17 genera and approximately 950 species. P
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Digitalis obscura, commonly known as the sunset foxglove or willow leaved foxglove, is native to southern and eastern Spain and Morocco. In Spanish it is known as 'brugía', 'dedalera negra' and 'hierba de las úlceras'. The flowers are unmistakably
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Myoporum parvifolium is also known as Creeping Boobialla, a name given to a similar-looking plant by the aboriginal people of Australia but adopted for this dwarf shrub. It is a member of the Scrophulariaceae family (figworts) which includes around 6
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Last week I mentioned using an insecticide called Bt spray. It contains Bacillus thuringiensis which is toxic to pests but won't harm bees; they're immune according to planetbee.org. Most shop-bought chemical sprays, even some of the ones purporting
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Marbella / Estepona Mercedes López Charro Marbella. Until 31 May. Kasser Rassu Art Gallery, Blvd Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenloe Mercedes works as a freelance illustrator drawing a wide range of lifestyle, fashion and food illustrations, using tec
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Charity fundraising Chamber of Secrets Torremolinos. 13 May, 8pm. Montemar Theatre. 32.95EUR An evening of magic, mind reading, comedy and music. Ticket price includes Sangria, beer or refreshments. 15EUR of each ticket goes to Cudeca Hospice. Limi
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Marbella / Estepona Concert at the dolmens Estepona. 6 May, 8pm. Parque San Isidro Labrador. Los Pedregales. 12EUR. The cello and sax duo 'Electro Experience' (TIN Fernández and Karol Marin) will be performing at the dolmens. Bookings: 675942975
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Marbella / Estepona Pedro Rodríguez Marbella. Permanent exhibition, Kempinski Hotel Bahía. Pedro Rodríguez 'Pedrín', a Malaga sculptor, has an exhibition of his works in the Galería de Arte de Pedrín in the Kempinski. One of his works 'Olly',
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When to feed a plant isn't a direct science and is really down to a gardener's instincts backed up by a bit of basic knowledge. Container grown plants benefit from being repotted in fresh compost every year. However, even fresh potting compost has a
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The Boxleaf azara or Azara microphylla is a graceful perennial with downward arching branches. Once mature it can reach up to eight metres tall in ideal situations but is more likely to be around four to five metres if left to grow unchecked. It is n
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Marbella and surrounding area Paco Vivar Brinkmann Gaucín. Until 22 April, El Cuartito, C/Nueva. An exhibition of photos by Spanish photographer Paco Vivar. La Plazoleta Gaucín. Until 30 April, La Plazoleta. La Plazoleta, Gaucín
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Malaga Ernst Kraft Malaga. Botanical gardens 'La Concepción'. A sculpture 'The Tree of Life' by Ernst Kraft will be on permanent display in the gardens on the lawns next to the pond. The minimalist structure of iron rods is five metres tall a
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Chionanthus virginicus is a large, deciduous shrub or small tree in the Oleaceae family (olive) and is native to the US. It has glossy, dark green, pinnate leaves that turn golden in autumn and long clusters of fragrant white flowers from spring, jus
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The bright yellow flowers of the Forsythia have faded heralding the time to prune. It is when the leaves start to appear that the buds for next year's flowers start to form under the bark so the time to get the secateurs out is now. Forsythia is very
Local
There's no other time of year when visitors and foreign residents have their eyes opened as much to the pomp and ceremony of religious tradition in Spain than Semana Santa (Holy Week). Across the country finishing touches are being made to this year'
Local
There's no other time of year when visitors and foreign residents have their eyes opened as much to the pomp and ceremony of religious tradition in Spain than Semana Santa (Holy Week). Across the country finishing touches are being made to this year'
What to do
Marbella / Estepona Roger Cummiskey Marbella. Until 31 March, The Golfer Sports Bar Abstract oil paintings in an exhibition entitled 'Potpourri'. Benezra Gallery Marbella. Until 30 April. La Quinta, between Marbella and San Pedro.
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Common names for this member of the Saxifraga genus includes St Patrick's Cabbage, Whimsey, Prattling Parnell, Look Up And Kiss Me and London Pride, the latter being the most popular. Although 'true' London Pride (Saxifraga x urbium) is a hybrid betw
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Charity events Animal shelter visit Benalmádena. Benalmádena Animal Rescue Shelter. First Sunday of every month, 12pm-3pm. The animal rescue centre will host visitors to see the shelter. Includes a visit by a dog trainer and vet to answer que
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Erysimum linifolium is commonly called the Spanish wallflower. It is a genus in the Barssicaceae (cabbage) family which has over 180 species. The genus is also known as Cheiranthus. Erysimum linifolium (Alhelí de invierno in Spanish), is native to Sp
What to do
Music The Wall Bar Malaga. Hotel Vincci Posada del Patio, 11pm, entry free. 10 March. Daphne & Nicky. Jazz and bossanova. 11 March. Twin Room. Sonia Veravocals and Josu Jungutu on piano. Vintage swing. Guy Braunstein and friends Malaga.
What to do
Malaga Museum Jorge Rando Malaga. Cruz del Molinillo, 12 The works of contemporary artist Jorge Rando are on permanent display. The museum also holds poetry and musical events. Rando y Ciriza Museum Jorge Rando. Malaga. Until 30 April. Cruz
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If you know that some of your plants are going to need supporting or they'll be flopping onto neighbouring plants once summer comes, then now is a the time to put in stakes. Use twiggy sticks left over from pruning, bamboo canes or metal stakes but b
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Fast growing, the mist flower is an evergreen perennial shrub reaching up to three metres high by about the same width in just a couple of years. This plant is known by two genus names; the most recent is Bartlettina sordida although it was previousl
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There are approximately 600 species in the Ranunculaceae family which includes buttercups and spearworts. One of the species that has become a popular garden plant is Ranunculus asiaticus or the Persian buttercup. As the name suggests, they origina
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Mijas / Fuengirola Artistas Eclécticos Mijas Pueblo. Until 17 March. Clínica Veterinaria, Avd México 21. Works by Sinikka Ahokas-Gröhn, Elaine Carlton and Richard Wood. www.artistaseclecticos.com Mercedes Llamazares Los Bolichos. Until 23
What to do
Music and dance The Wall Bar Malaga. Hotel Vincci Posada del Patio, 11pm, entry free. 17 February. Susan Valery and Adrian Lombardi. Jazz and vocals. Mäbu Malaga. 17 February, 10pm. Sala Velvet Club, C/de las Comedias. Mábu is an indie b
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February 14th, Valentine's Day, is traditionally known as a day for lovers with cards, chocolates and red roses exchanged. Less well known is that St Valentine is also the patron saint of epilepsy sufferers. In ancient times, when there was very
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Marbella / Estepona Emmanuel Janvier Estepona. From 18 February until 5 March, New Longman's, Plaza de Manilva, 6. An exhibition of acrylic and watercolour paintings by Emmanuel Janvier. The inauguration evening on 18th starts at 7pm and wil
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Lysimachia ephemerum, also called Willow-leaved or Silver Loosestrife, is a member of the Primulaceae family and native to Southwest Europe. It grows wild in some parts of Spain, usually on banks of streams. Unlike Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum clethro
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If you haven't felt like getting out in the garden due to the cold winds (and even snow in some areas) then the return of the sunshine should give you the motivation to get out there and start preparing beds for the spring. Digging is the best way to
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Malaga Ortega Bru Malaga. Until 28 January, ArsMálaga Palacio Episcopal Around 100 religious paintings, sculptures and drawings in tribute to sculptor Luis Ortega Bru. Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich Malaga. Until 29 January, La Térmica,
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Charity events Concert for Mutiplesclerosis Rincón de la Victoria. 28 January, 8pm. Sala las Musas. A concert in aid of the Esclerosis Múltiple charity features Naiala Narciso, Eduardo Díaz, Aires de Torremolinos and Esperanza Márquez. Char
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The plant genus Breynia includes around 35 species of evergreen shrubs. The most popular of which are the colourful variegated forms as the tiny greenish flowers are virtually invisible. The oval leaves form in flattened, frond-like sprays on pink or
What to do
Flamenco 'Quebranto' Nerja. 21 January, 9pm. Centro Cultural Villa de Nerja. 12EUR The dance company Antonio de Verónica trace a path through the different rythms of flamenco. 'Con Temple' Vélez-Málaga. 22 January, 9pm. Teatro del Carmen. 5EUR
What to do
Marbella / Estepona Magpie International Gallery. Marbella. Until 23 January. C/Virgen del Pilar. 200m from port. An exhibition of art work entitled 'Relaciones' (Relations) by Austrian artist Dana Nowak. Cecilia Noriega-Bozovich Marbell
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Calibrachoa is a relatively new genus of plants to many gardeners; the first cultivars weren't available until 1992 and there are still only about a dozen named varieties available in a wide range of vivid colours including soft pinks, bright fuchsia
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Malaga Gerald Brenan Museum Churriana. Until 1 February. Casa de Gerald Brenan, C/Torremolinos. A collection of photographs of Brenan, his wife and the many friends, among them writers, aristocrats and beatniks, that visited the house in Ch
What to do
Music and dance Malaga Philharmonic Orchestra Auditorium of Museo Picasso. Malaga. 17 January 8pm The Cuarteto Fucco formed by violinists Nicolás Ciocan and Raúl Baixaili, viola Razuan Cociodar and cellist Carlos González, all teachers from th
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Davallia canariensis (synonym Trichomanes canariensis) is an epiphyte fern native to the west Mediterranean region, the Canary Islands and Madeira. Common names include the Hare's Foot Fern and Shinobu Fern although they tend to be used for the genus
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For centuries apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been used as a folk remedy for all sorts of health problems and recently there has been a renewed interest in its benefits, although there aren't many scientific studies to back up the claims. These claims