Petrea "Queen's Wreath"

Rebuilt the large arbor and one planter box with a friend's borrowed tools.  Couldn't wait for the landscapers to help me install new plantings around the outside (and the granite gravel they were supposed to lay for the drive). It's gettin' hot and the bugs are starting to bite.  Don't know what's happen with them guys, no return calls - not answering their phones. So, this late spring, early summer, it's been my choice to get hot, and extra dirty.

For the arbor area (what the kids used to call the "blue lounge"), I decided, this time around, on planting Petrea - a native of the West Indies that ranges from Mexico to Panama. "A fast growing, twining, woody vine that produces wisteria-like erect to drooping axillary foot-long racemes of star-like purple flowers, that flower profusely in southern Florida from late fall to early spring." Often referred to as the "Queen's Wreath".  Sounds good right?

Three days rebuilding and painting the arbor.

Rebuilding one of the planter boxes for the new Petrea

The major draw back with Petrea, is that it can easily get out of hand, take off on you - growing surly and wild, with a leafy feel of rough sandpaper (it's other common name - the "sandpaper vine").  Examples below; from newly planted, to a crescendo of old growth.

My effort this week - complete the arbor, the planter box, new soil, new dirt. Now planted, I can sit back and wait for her to flower, watch her grow. (taking the final photo, I forgot to tidy up and put back in the blue chairs and table). Once a favorite spot with my teenage boys (and their friends), and with much misbehavior, I'm sure there were many enjoyable late nights out in that Blue Lounge. Now that 'lounge' is back with me.