Porter loves bougainvilleas—so do I, though not nearly with the same passion—and years ago planted some out front. He was so disappointed when they seemed to make little progress, and didn't bloom much.
Well, I don't know what happened, but in the last year or so they seemed to be determined to make up for those years all at once. One of the bushes is growing so aggressively that its thorns threatened people attempting to walk to our front door. I did briefly consider leaving it that way as a deterrent to solicitors, but since that would exclude Girl Scout cookies and LBHS Band apples, I gave up the idea. (Click on photos to enlarge.)
Instead, Porter built a pergola. He build the basic structure in the garage at first, then moved to the driveway to replace the temporary stubs with the 10.5 foot legs. After he dug the holes, we (yes, just he and I) lifted it, in halves, and put it into place. Then after levelling, and settling, and fastening it back together, he added the rest of the top pieces ...
... and filled in the holes, and introduced the bougainvilleas to their new plaything ...
... and we have a pergola! Isn't it pretty? I particularly like the sculpting he did on the ends.
