. . . is in our back yard!
When we first decided to buy a home here, one of our “must have” items was abundant room on the property for a large garden. The previous owners of our house took a rock- and gravel-strewn lot and started a great foundation for a healthy and wonderful garden. They brought in tons of top soil and left us with a lush, healthy lawn and a start on several flower beds.
Since we bought the property, we have quadrupled the size of the flower beds in hopes of making our back yard feel more private and inviting. We have planted banana, lemon, orange, and lime trees and one of our favorites from California, a jacaranda. We’ve also planted many varieties of ginger and heliconia and a small herb garden. With all of this rich volcano soil, plants here practically grow themselves and friends are always sharing cuttings from their gardens. In a lot of cases, just stick the cutting in the ground and voila – in a few months you’ll have a healthy and growing plant. There are also some very great nurseries here with incredibly low prices. We love finding plants that appeal to us and bringing them home to see how they’ll do. Sometimes we don’t find out their names until well after the fact!
It is so wonderful at sunset or in the early morning to stroll around the garden, smell all the fragrances, and observe the rapid growth of new plantings, not to mention the abundance of butterflies, humming birds, and strange insects. We do owe a big credit to our gardener, Sergio, who comes once a week for 6 hours at the outrageous price of $25 a visit!
It’s tough living in paradise!
More photos . . .
12 Comments
Great job. Don’t know how you find time for the garden as much traveling as you have done. Could sure use some treatment in my backyard.
Looking good.
You’ve really made that place a garden of Eden, like you said. Very Zen & serene. This looks like what Mariah wants on our balcony!
I have to agree – it certainly does look like paradise and I love the huge variety, shapes and colors! There are a lot of pluses to be said about apartment living but sometimes I really miss the fun of working in a garden and watching things grow. Your yard is beautiful! Anita
Wow. The yard is beautiful. Bet you can’t wait to get your garden going. Perfect 👌. Sure wish we had made the move nine years ago when we were seriously planning to ….. think we are too old to consider that kind of change now. Love following your blog.
It’s never too late 🙂
I love your home but your back terrace looking out to your lush yard is one of my very favorite views!!!
Thank you, dear amiga!
Beautiful and colorful garden. 😀
Why, thank you 🙂
Your yard is gorgeous!.. Love them heliconias too
Aww, thanks, amiga! That is high praise, since your garden is so fabulous 🙂