our olive trees are on the move...

If you have read my books or have been following this blog you probably know that I am a fan of the olive tree. After buying our property we planted a grove of olive trees in the hope that one day the venture would be somewhat commercial....I use the word, 'commercial' because I am a true romantic and forever the optimist. The humble olive tree has changed me. It has altered my way of thinking and my approach to life; planting olives has made me calmer and more relaxed, farming has helped me learn patience and understand nature. I have become very fond of these trees and almost feel as if they are family. This love affair with olive trees has not stopped - their tortured trunks and silvery foliage intrigue me. Olive trees appear to dance with the wind, their movements are smooth and graceful against the force of the mistral. Olive trees lap up the sun and they hunker down still against the cold - they are intelligent trees who know the demands of their terrain. It is for these reasons that I have found myself another olive 'project'.

Our swimming pool sits away from the house facing the olive groves and the Alpilles mountains beyond. The surrounds have not been landscaped other than to cover the earth with gravel. New safety laws mean that a fence has come between the pool area and the fields so the issue was what to plant in this space. It is a large area and gravel alone, while practical, is too bare. Before the fence I had the impression that I was swimming amongst the olive trees - there was something about the perspective that blurred the distinction between the water and the trees. The question was how to maintain this sublime sensation and retain the deliciously languid atmosphere.

Simple, according to Mr FF.

'Plant more olives.'
'More olives,' I said...
'Yes, if we plant out the gravel area, leaving a space for the sun beds, then it will feel as if we are one with the groves. The fence will disappear and the area won't be so sparse.'

Simple, it has not been, interesting most definitely.

We are fortunate in that we are not buying olives but transplanting them from one place to another. The first attempt (on a smaller scale) was a dismal failure and only two out of six survived; whatever we did we did incorrectly and most of them just weren't happy.  The second attempt is now underway. We are moving 20 large trees with the help of a local contractor, who can, 'dance like the stars' with his crane and forklift, to their new home by the swimming pool. We have taken every care with their removal and their replacement and now it is fingers crossed that the soil, the drainage and whatever else that makes an olive thrive, will work. If they need a kiss goodnight, a slap on the back or even a little lullaby to keep them content...I am their girl. This has been one monumental task. The majority are now planted and while they look somewhat stunted (they must be pruned before and after the planting so that the roots, not the foliage, will benefit from the soil's nutrients) I can just about see what Mr FF had envisioned....xv

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image - vicki archer