I realized that moving to New Orleans has done so many wonderful things for my life. One of them is simplification of action. I don’t have to spend much time to get the whole yard neatened up. Weed eat for 15 minutes (after I get the machine working), weed for 10 minutes, water, fill the bird feeder and that is it. In my old life, I spent hours and hours working on a giant yard. This is a prime example of less is more.

This is my little courtyard garden in my Bywater neighborhood.  It is probably only 20 feet by 50 feet with a brick floor outside the back door for about 10 feet.  I have a little tin shed for tools and three raised beds made out of local ancient bricks. I planted everything here since I moved in. It was full of rubble and slate pieces from the old roof, before Katrina. My house was built by a German farming family in 1830. It is creaky and slanted but full of wonderful spirits. It did not flood during Katrina because it in on high ground only 6 blocks from the Mississippi river. So I will count on that in the future.

Now I want to buy some red banana palms and some bird of paradise flowers. I have an Angel Trumpet and regular Bananas. Lots of herbs in raised beds and a few flowers. Of course plenty of Elephant Ear live here too. They are so luscious to paint.  Happy gardening!!!