Well, it has been just over one year since we planted all the pots on our upstairs patio.  They had been growing quite happily when the tropical storm season hit and they were mauled by both a tropical depression and non-hurricane Rick.  All’s well that ends well, though, as you can see!

At the top is what it looked like right after we finished planting:

We’ve done a lot of rearranging and have even bumped a few plants to other patios where they are happier with a little less sun.  We also decided that there were too many plants in the middle by the chaise lounges.  We’ve grouped more together, and it actually creates little micro-climates that keep them a little cooler, I think.

Another change is that we moved the white plastic tables and chairs downstairs and brought up the heavy wood table and chairs.  The size is better up here and it can take the sun better, too.

The patio is wonderful at both ends of the day the entire year – we love to have coffee up there in the morning and to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening.  Midday is just too sunny for hanging out for very long, but in the wintertime I’ve been known to take a chaise lounge siesta in the weaker winter sun.

The next picture pretty much is from the same place as the top picture.

The umbrella plant at the top left is very happy.  In the right front is the triangle palm, which has been relocated next to the lounge chairs.  The red oleander loves it there, and you can see the yellow shrimp plant is blooming like crazy.  The plumeria against the wall is blooming, too.

Facing South.  The bananas in the right corner are doing great.  To the left of the banana is a very happy ginger that I plan on dividing soon.  There’s another oleander in the far left corner and a handkerchief plant that has been going nuts blooming next to it. The datura is right next to the far lounger – it bloomed for several weeks and now seems to be losing and regrowing its leaves.   Can you see over the top of the wall the new green paint?  There will be one more “new paint” post, and you’ll see this one again.

This group is a star palm on the right, and in the center an orchid tree.  It has lovely purple blossoms that the hummingbirds love!  After it bloomed it lost all its ginko-like leaves and now has all new leaves!  Next to it is a lovely fragrant star jasmine and a poinsettia.  Over by the banana is a desert rose that I pruned after it finished blooming a few weeks ago and it is covered with little bumps where the new leaves are coming out.

We love this patio and between all the plants, the umbrella and furniture it is a wonderful place to enjoy.  We get comments from neighbors about how much they like to see the flowering plants (including two alamandas I didn’t show you) hanging over the top of the wall facing the street.

Now cross your fingers that there are no violent storms to set them back this season!