It’s that time of the year again when Habibi the Gardener comes to lop down the trees to restore our views. It’s a fine balance between lopping off enough to do that, and not so much that we lose cover and shade from the lower garden. The first time he did it, some years ago, I totally panicked at what appeared to be the most brutal topping ever!!!!! But he assured me they would all be sprouting again with leaf cover by the spring and he was, as usual, right.

The previous house owners, in their wisdom, planted Paulownia trees in the lower garden. What they were thinking I cannot imagine! The fastest growing tree in the world it can reach 100 feet high. We take the tops off annually. It’s a beautiful tree with lovely lilac/pink blossom and it looks great up against the purple jacaranda trees which are also down there. i expect that’s what they were thinking!!!

We also have some beautiful pink peppercorn trees (schinu molle) which need a certain amount of trimming. They are not fast growing brutes like the Paulownias but a few of the branches from one of them had grown towards the dining terrace and indeed were coming over the top of the terrace. A bit too near the satellite receiver too. So a few of those branches had to go. The leaves on the pink peppercorn are lovely and almost fernlike and the peppercorns are delicious either whole or ground up as a seasoning.

Anyway, I can’t watch them do it. It’s very dangerous looking. They climb up the tree freestyle with saws of various types and a sort of razor sharp sickle. And then have at the tree!! Rather terrifying. We now have some peppertree boughs to chop up for next year’s wood oven fuel. The Paulownia ones are apparently too soft.

Here is Habibi up the tree! Thankfully he left the villa with all legs and arms intact!!!

Our seaview is now very wide indeed! The trees will sprout by the spring.

Tonight we went to the uber ritzy Poppy Ball, an annual charity black tie ball held on behalf of the Royal British Legion and their charities. As usual it was held at the fabulous Kaya Palazzo hotel in Karaoglanoglu. We shared a taxi to and from with our neighbours, Alan and Lesley. It was a bit different this year: a buffet, not a served dinner. There was a live band – route 66 – and a dj. It was good but not faultless. The buffet food was great but not very warm. We had a good boogie anyway. Money was raised for charity.

Amazing stars when we got home.