My backyard in transition....

Before the heat of the summer arrives, my husband and I have been working as often as possible in our backyard.  Even in the heat of the summer, we spend a lot of time out there.  Two winters ago, we had an extremely cold winter with numerous days and evening of freezing temperatures, it took its toll on a lot of our tropicals.  I thought we saved most everything, then last winter, just two nights of freezing temperatures, we lost 3 medium size palm trees.  So, we are in the processing of finding just want we want to replace them.  Everything in our yard has been grown from tiny new growth palms, plants, and tropicals.  So, over 15 years, most has matured well, but to even lose those three palms, took a big hit on the landscaping.  Plus, I must have had over a hundred lobster claw heliconia, they are so beautiful and remind me of Hawaii. Each and everyone of them got frost so bad, they all turned brown, I cut them back and last year they all came back, and yes, those two freezing days this past winter hit them hard again, but I've just noticed all new starts coming up, so I am totally excited.. We are starting over, rearranging plants that can be moved and working around the ones that cannot be transplanted such as palms, I don't want to take a chance with losing them.    Now that the large Oak trees in the front of the house have shed all their leaves and the pollen is gone and once we get the palms  in place, it will be time to completely mulch, and set up the umbrellas, BBQ grill and furniture and bring on the summer!!!  Right now, it looks very bare, but I wanted to post now, and see how it hopefully changes by summer's end.

One of my favorite pots, the textured designs reminds me of Hawaii and the top is all embed glitter



Facing North towards the spa



Facing north again towards the spa area

When enlarged, and double clicked again, love the water drops on the unopened flowers

One of the cubanelle chilies, the plant was planted last year, and is full most of the summer



One of my chile pots...nothing better than fresh chilies when ever needed, all are new but the  cubanelle, that remains from last year



Again, when double clicked to enlarge, the detail of flowers, you just don't see when looking at it with your eyes

My newly planted little herb garden about a weeks growth, thanks to all the rain we had during the storm two weeks ago

One of my favorite palms, Fox tail, was skinny and about 5' when purchased, now it's about 20 feet tall and stands so tall and straight, the fronds in the summer or breath-taking

I love pots, all shapes and colors, and just place them throughout the yard

Double pink hibiscus



I grew all the Pygmy Dates from little plants in a 5 gallon containers, no taller than 15" tall.  Facing South, that's where I lost two of my Christmas Palms.



Madagascar  Palm - grown from one 5" skinny plant about 7 years ago

Madagascar Palm approximately 11 feet tall...all from that one single 5" start

Gets very full of beautiful white flowers throughout summer, love the way it grows in any direction it wants...kind of my free spirit flower