A Garden In Mexico

We spent the last week vacationing in a small village in Mexico.  We went to visit a long time friend who lives there.  This is her beautiful courtyard garden.  I didn’t take my Nikon so these pictures were taken with a Lumix pocket camera.   They don’t do the garden or the flowers justice.  

I’m always jealous of tropical gardeners because they can grow things I can’t.  Take the Datura Arborea, for instance.  (The white flowering tree on the right)  It has the most amazing smell.  We used to have one growing in our front yard but the frost finally got it.  Ours never got that big.  In the background is an avocado tree.

Then there is the pink grapefruit tree that was loaded with fruit.  We juiced them for breakfast. 

My friend, M, has planted several Hibiscus plants.  One is white and the other is a beautiful shade of pink.  I’ve tried to grow Hibiscus too, but our winters are just too cold.  They never survive.

She also grows several types of roses.

Here’s a few of my favorites.

This hedge of Bougainvillea was stunning.  You see it growing all over town.

We’ve planted Bougainvillea bushes at least three times in different areas of our garden but the frost gets it each time, so we finally gave up.

M has a little fountain that she uses to feed the local birds.  She puts out seeds for them around the top ring of the fountain.  It rains, hard, every night this time of year so it knocks down a lot of flowers and leaves, but it also fills up the fountain.

I loved how this cactus was growing up the wall and over the other side. 

This Wandering Jew plant is usually considered a house plant in Northern California but can be grown outside in Mexico.

This is a picture of an amazing moth on M’s banana trees.  Oh how I wish I could grow bananas.  She also has a papaya tree and a lime tree.  M also grows basil, cilantro and rosemary for her kitchen.

I think this guy may be one of those moths in a few months.

There are also lots and lots of zinnias.  I love them and I forgot to plant them this spring so I’ll have to wait to until next year, but I’m sure M can grow them all year round in Mexico.