Patio Power

When we found this house, I fell in love with it because you walk into this little patio and the house extends off each end of it. Although it isn't a big house or wasn't until the recent addition, the patio extended the feeling of space from every room. During construction the patio was a storehouse with materials everywhere and the pot plants all shoved together. The big bouganvilla that covers one end had blown loose from the wall and was hanging over into the tree. The vine along the long wall had grown out of control and was not letting in light.

Finally today the patio got put back together as best as we can since building materials for the cover over the terrace are still being stored on it and also knowing that in September we are going to change the fountain and redo the patio. The vine along the long wall has been taken out, the bouganvilla is again pinned to the wall and the plants are back in place. And once again we can use the table and chairs for a nice intimate dinner or a casual breakfast.

The first picture was taken from the sala end of the patio and this is from the downstairs bedroom end of the patio. We love the deep portico and have a couple of comfortable wicker chairs there just to sit down and rest for a minute during the day and listen to the fountain. From the upstairs bedroom you are looking into the crown of the tree and you feel like you are in a tree house.

The old tree is a privet or something from the lugustrum family. It has been here a long, long time. It must be about 20 feet high and if you look carefully at its bark you can find nails and twine embedded. Some child must have gotten a new knife or hatchet at some time during its life because it has scars. I wasn't so sure it would be okay when we bought the house but we had it pruned. We fertilized and watered. The tree is a survivor! It was so happy it was growing into the bedroom window and we have had to have it pruned several times since the first one. It is currently putting on lots of new leaves and dropping the old ones. A bit messy on the patio but I'm so thankful to have it, I won't complain.