Gardener's Haven

Maura Pulford freely confesses that she decorates the porch of her house in the tiny borough of Thornburg as if it were her living room. The home, a stucco Tudor on a one-half-acre corner lot, at about 101 years old, is one of the original houses in this town of about 180 houses.

The Pulfords - Mark and Maura; their three children, ages 6, 8 and 12; and their dog, a golden-retriever/poodle mix named Hogan - moved into this house eight years ago.

Maura decorates the porch with numerous plantings, giving the tiny space an exotic feel. This year, she added to the vibrancy of the environment with the purchase of a colorful Oriental-style rug made from recycled plastic bottles, allowing it to be hosed clean.

Maura chose plant types and colors based on the rug colors. The result is almost tropical, yet very cozy. "The porch is tiny," she laughs; "I bet it's only 12-by-12." Still, there's enough room for a chaise and two chairs and ottomans, and it's so much a part of the family's home life that Maura has her tea every morning while sitting on the porch, enjoying the passage of the sun as it rises from behind the house. "It's a very peaceful place for us," she says. When the children were small, Maura says she'd place them into bouncy activity toys to play. Now she can sit on the porch and keep an eye on the kids playing in yard. The porch is so much a part of their lives. In winter, she says, "I look out there and I just can't wait for spring."

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