cactus – GWENNIESGARDENWORLD

October 13, 2025

A WEEKEND AWAY

Recently I went a weekend away with my sister, we both needed a bit of peace and quiet but as it was just for 3 days we wouldn’t go too far away. We decided to go to The Netherlands to a place called Vlissingen, it is a small city at the North sea. We had hoped the weather would be rather nice but a few days before we went to Vlissingen the weather forcast changed a lot. Instead of sun and between 18C° and 20C°, we got heavy wind (wind force 7) , a lot of rain and 15C°, but we enjoyed it anyway, we did a lot of reading, talking and enjoying going out for a drinks, lunches and dinners, luckily they were all close by. Nothing spectacular but it was fun. We stayed in a small hotel at the seaside, pretty and comfortable.

The following pictures were taken the last day when the sun was out for a bit, it rained most of the time so I didn’t take a lot of pictures as I don’t like my camera to get wet.

In the middle of this picture you see a tower that used to be a prison, now it is a restaurant.

This guy was the only one in the sea.

I loved this little front garden facing the sea

Here’s another view of the terrace with the cacti

This picture was taken when the storm was gone.

I hope you are all well and happy. Take care !

December 27, 2020

SILENT SUNDAY

September 23, 2020

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

August 16, 2020

SILENT SUNDAY

**AGAVE IN A BEAUTIFUL POT (found in apark in Arizona)**

August 7, 2020August 7, 2020

SOUVENIR DE FRANCE

In September 2017 we went to the south of France for a holiday and when we visited a gardencenter there I found a cactus that I really wanted to have and as it was small it was easy to take it home in the car without damaging it.

**THIS IS HOW IT LOOKED WHEN WE BOUGHT IT . OPUNTIA INDICA BURBANK.**

Much to my surprise it grew a new disk in the Summer of 2018.

And in 2019 it got another disk.

**TINY AT THE BEGINNING BUT GROWING VERY FAST.**

This year, no new disk, I don’t know why, it is healty and growing good, those brown spots are normal. I was hoping for a new disk and maybe a flower or 2.

The following pictures were taken only a few days ago.

But this plant with only 3 disks is soooo very heavy I can’t lift it anymore, luckily I have a husband and a son. In Winter it stays in an unheated greenhouse cos it doesn’t like wet weather but in Spring it comes out again and gets the sunniest spot in the garden. Each time I look at it it reminds me of France.

Why I wanted this cactus ? There are lots of these cacti in the south of France, some turned into really big “bushes” with bright yellow flowers and edible fruits. It can take frost as long as the soil is dry. And last but not least it is almost spineless. There are other opuntia’s that are more beautifull but they all have a lot of spines, I have grandkids and dogs so that would be too dangerous.

At the moment we have a heathwave and the end is not in sight. So I have a lot of watering to do in the garden and especially the plants in pots need a good watering every day. But my French opuntia loves it.

Have a great weekend all and keep safe !

March 10, 2020

GIVE YOUR HOUSEPLANTS A BOOST

It is time to give your houseplants a bit of tlc, they are probably covered in a bit of dust so you can easily brush that off with some old soft paintbrushes, the small ones for the nooks and crannies (also handy for your cacti !!), the big ones for the big leafed plants. They’ll look better, they can breathe better and they can absorb the light better. Give them a bit of water and when the soils is moist again you can give them a bit of firtilizer, just a bit to start with.

Your plants will love you for this 😀

Have a great day !

February 20, 2020

ONE OF MANY

EUPHORBIA SPECIES

As it is not much fun to be out in the garden at the moment I’ll show you one of my favorite indoor plants. We do have blooms in the garden but it is wet and windy and cold at the moment.

This one is a member of the huge EUPHORBIA family, some come with leafs, others with spines and some even have both leafs and spines. I am the proud owner of several euphorbia spieces, in my home and in my garden . They all get tiny yellow flowers. And they bloom for a long time.

I hope you are all ok and having fun. Take care and thanks for visiting.

December 5, 2019

AN OLDIE

July 15, 2019

I HAVE GOT ANOTHER ONE !

**OPUNTIA FICUS INDICA BURBANK (PRICKLY PEAR)**

You probably think I’m crazy but I am excited to have a new pad on my cactus, I started with one pad 2 years ago, last year I got a new pad and this year I got another one. I know for some people this is just weed as it grows very well where it is native but I live in Belgium and that is not exactly cactus paradise.