In 2004 we purchased a house in ruins in Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico, and spent 6 months renovating it and landscaping the garden. Then in January of 2005 we moved into what has become our Mexican home. Since one of the nicest trees in the garden is a jacaranda, we named our home "La Jacaranda".
Patzcuaro is located at 7,200 feet elevation on a plateau between the state capitol, Morelia, and Uruapan, a center for agricultural processing, packaging, and shipping. Although in the early years of the Spanish Colonial Period, Patzcuaro was the state capitol, that was nearly 500 years ago, Morelia is now the capital, and Patzcuaro is a small colonial village, with a central plaza,little changed since 1535.
With the sun of 7,200 feet and a climate that seldom brings us freezing temperatures, we have a profusion of both flowers and fruit trees. In our garden we have over 100 different species of trees, bushes, vines, and flowers. Possibly the best avocados in the world come from the state of Michoacan and the 2 avocado trees in our garden give us a steady supply during most of the months of the year.
We have lunch on our back porch nearly every day and enjoy the garden and the many birds and hummingbirds that visit us throughout the year.
Birds of many species pass through or live in our garden, especially hummingbirds. It is a pleasure to watch them come and go to our flowering plants as we eat lunch.
It is a daily pleasure to spend each day in Patzcuaro, with its rich cultural and religious traditions, good climate, and varied bird life. Patzcuaro, and the Colonial Circle which extends through several adjoining states in central Mexico, is a pleasant and interesting part of the Mexico and the world.
La Jacaranda is a peaceful retreat within the Colonial Circle.
