A PATIO PLANTING IN FLORIDA 
WILLIAM A. COOK 
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WHERE THE COOLNESS OF THE PLANTS OFFSETS THE HOTNESS OF THE BUILDING 
A happy association of house and garden that characterizes the semi-tropical home where the sense of “cool- 
ness” that belongs to growing plants is drawn upon to provide the proper atmosphere in an inner court 
or sort of roofless room. Here also opens up a large field for harmonious planting and furnishing schemes 
•HE inner court around which dwellings in certain tropi- 
cal countries have always been built, provides a com- 
bination of outdoors that is literally within-doors, since 
it is enclosed by the rooms of the building yet open 
overhead to the sky and the elements of rain and sun and air. 
Hence it is a spot wherein true out-of-door vegetation of large 
size may be used, as well as lesser plants; and a rendezvous whose 
intimate character demands a planting of carefully considered 
detail. 
The atmosphere of splendid lofty strength created architec- 
turally in this residence of Mr. James Deering, at Miami, 
Florida, might be further emphasized by the use of strong grow- 
ing, woody vines trained up the blank wall spaces and then car- 
ried horizontally along the balcony, Bougainvilleas being espec- 
ially fine for such a situation. These may be had in other colors 
than the familiar purplish hue, the rose pink being lovely or the 
crimson lake shade of red — or the brick red, for brilliant tropical 
effect. This is a suggestion as an alternate treatment for such a 
spot, if trees were not desired. Vines alone, with a ground plant- 
ing of Palms, will produce a sumptuous result. 
The large trees (Pithecolobium dulce) of the present scheme 
however, supplemented by the tall, slender, delicate foliaged 
Parkinsonia aculeata (seen at the right, supported by Bamboo 
stems) furnish a variety of interest and an outdoor leafiness 
which only a patio admits. Some of the Palms that keep them 
company are Livistona chinensis (at right) and Cocos plumosa 
or C. flexuosa (left of centre); and then there are Crotons in the 
corners and English Ivy low down neither exclusively tropical 
yet both fulfilling their purpose — with the delicate tracery «f 
Bignonia unguis-casti beginning to show on the wall. 
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