Above: This "patch" of succulents and ground cover was in front of our house. In the background top left, you see the fence (termite heaven!) which surrounded a little paved "courtyard" in front of the entry to the house; to the right you can just make out the car port and the wheel of our old Toyota (before we sold it when we got assigned a company car!).



Below: There was a tree in the front right corner of the "patch" (as you stand at the street, looking at the house). One year, the bees took up residence! They were everywhere in the front garden in the spring, but we were never stung. While they should make for a tasty treat for the migrating bee-eaters in the fall, very few of the hives lasted for long. As soon as the trash workers discovered a hive, they took it down for the honey!

Below: Abdul Kareem worked in our garden at least three hours a week and was the primary reason it looked as good as it did. He brought plants from his job with the Royal Commission's landscaping company, and he pruned heavily whenever he got the urge!

Above: Our "side garden". It ran parallel to the living room and kitchen from the street to the back of the lot and was essentially the only "used" portion of our back garden. This view is from the region of the kitchen window (the hanging basket - and yes, those were petunias - is in front of the window) toward the street. The living room is to the left of the patio furniture.

Below: The part of the garden that runs along the back of the lot (forming an "L" with the side garden) contained a covered "deck"; there were hooks and eyes in the rafters of the cover from which we hung baskets (the one shown here is a cactus) and along the railings are a number of pots. The rafters were also decorated with strings of old-fashioned Christmas tree lights which, when lit, made the area look like the outside serving areas of some country pubs in Britain! The kitchen opens onto the deck through a sliding glass door to the left of the picture.