Patio Trees Delivered

2-9-14 1:01am Sun. (1)

The patio trees are being delivered today. It’s about time. It took many months for Leona to agree to buy them. 

      

The palm tree, coconut tree, and two bushes (that I have to learn the names of) were air-lifted by crane onto our outdoor patio yesterday morning. Leona thought she heard ‘crane’ when they called the day before to confirm but wasn’t sure until she saw it pull up outside. No warning was given to the building manager or auto mechanic downstairs, which is just as well; most people wouldn’t even think of giving a warning in Taiwan. We took videos of the workmen moving the plants and potting them once they were up on the patio. The patio looks great, 

It is pouring outside now. It has been raining on and off since Saturday afternoon, a few hours after the trees were delivered. Now that we have a number of plants and trees to water on the patio, it becomes imperative to have a convenient watering source. The rain from the enclosed patio roof washes into a gutter and leads down to the floor drain in the corner of the outdoor patio. It would be an excellent source for a cistern. I have to figure out the best and most economical way of setting it up. I’ve been doing some research on-line. Without a cistern, we’ll have to carry a water can from inside.

The osmanthus bush on the patio will bloom in the warm weather and the kumquat plant is growing new fruit. The palm and coconut trees blow in the cool wind and don’t make me feel warm at all. There’s one more bush out there that I have to name and the pretty purple leaves that have been my friends forever though I don’t know their names, either. I will become friendly with them all as the weather improves. The basil, lavender, and other spices grow and add beauty to the window sill outside the Japanese tea room. One day there will be a barbeque outside and pina colada on occasion. All that’s missing is the Jerry.  
After considering different ways to have an outdoor cistern for the patio plants, I decided on the simplest way: a plastic trash can with a water can. I dislodged the leader glued to the patio ledge which carried rain water from the gutter over the enclosed patio roofed. I stuck it into the trash can. Last night, we had a shower and the can is a quarter filled. We only need to dip the water can in the trash can to fill it and water the plants without having to go in and out of the house to get water from the sink. There is a lid that I cut a round space into at the side for the leader to enter the trash can and let rain water in at the bottom.