#stone vegetable garden in a Mediterranean climate with full sun. fruits

[celestielcas]

Landscape - Natural Stone Pavers

[jakehglover]

How to Grow Sweet Alyssum

Flowers are more than just a pretty way to fill your garden. Apart from their aesthetic quality, they have the power to reduce stress and inspire creative thinking. You might even find yourself less anxious while admiring your garden.

Flowers are often given as gifts to friends and loved ones and many have natural scents when in bloom, providing you with a natural air freshener and room deodorizer. Some flowers, such as marigolds, are natural pest repellents for your garden.1 Others play an important role in the growth of more flowers, fruits and vegetables by attracting pollinators such as bees, butterflies and wasps.

A study published in Evolutionary Psychology from Rutgers University2 revealed flowers help to improve emotional health by improving feelings of life satisfaction and positive social behavior. Female participants in the study reported those positive feelings lasted for days.

In the same study, those who gave the flowers were perceived as happy, achieving and capable individuals who were more emotionally intelligent and appreciative of beauty and nature.3

In addition to brightening up a room, some flowers may also be used in tea or taken medicinally when used properly, such as rose, chamomile, evening primrose and pagoda flower.4 However, while Sweet Alyssum is beautiful in your landscape and may be tasty in your salad, it is not often used medicinally.5

History of Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum, (Lobularia maritima), also known as Sweet Alison, is indigenous to the Mediterranean region, including the Canary Islands and the Azores, growing along the coast in areas of full sun. A member of the mustard family, it is often added to salads in Spain for a vitamin C boost. Although some eat Sweet Alyssum, others may get a rash from handling it.6

The name alyssum is derived from the Greek language. Since the prefix "a-" negates the word following it and "lyssa" means rage, alyssa means "without rage."7 Those who named the flower may have had rabies in mind as it was used in folk medicine to treat the condition. In the language of flowers, Sweet Alyssum means "worth beyond beauty" or "sweetness of soul."8

Alyssum was found in gardens as far back as the 1500s and prized for their low forming growth and fragrant flowers. During the 1800s, the yellow variety enjoy popularity in the U.S. By the 1900s, the more fragrant white flowered variety grew in popularity and was recommended as a plant for attracting bees.9

Sweet Alyssum Is Best Known for White Flowers

The genus alyssum contains nearly 170 species of flowering plants in the Brassicaceae family. Most are annual or perennial herbaceous plants growing up to 100 cm (nearly 4 inches) high with yellow or white flowers. Although Sweet Alyssum is best known for the fragrant white-flowered type, the plant does come in a variety of other colors as shown in this short video, including:10

Easter Bonnet — This is an early blooming variety in lavender or white, blooming through the spring

Pastel Carpet — This is a blend of pink, lavender and cream colors, offering a subdued colorful variety to your garden

Snow Princess — This is a sterile hybrid with white flowers. It is extremely heat tolerant and noted for the characteristic of spreading and cascading

Blushing Princess — This has a fragrant flower and a lavender color, also heat tolerant growing up to 8 inches tall and spreading nearly 24 inches wide

Wonderland series — This type has a deep red color growing in a compact flat plant, excellent for edging as it only reaches up to 5 inches tall and spreads 24 inches across

Sweet Alyssum is a delicate carpet of tiny flowers with narrow lance-shaped leaves and flowers with tiny four-petal, cross shapes. Although an annual plant in many hardiness zones, those who live in areas with a mild winter may find they return easily as a perennial, or even bloom through the winter.

The plants easily self-seed, being carried by the wind through your yard. If you're planning to change varieties the following summer you may be surprised by several volunteers sprinkled throughout your garden.11

Planting and Caring for Your Hardy Annual Sweet Alyssum Flower

Alyssum prefers a rich soil with a neutral pH. They're easily started from seed and since they enjoy the cool weather, they can be sown directly into your garden several weeks before the last frost.12 Gardeners in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones 7 through-1113 may have plants growing year-round.14

As long as it's not a hard freeze, your seeds will germinate and grow outdoors. However, if you'd like a large impact on your garden, start the seeds indoors five to six weeks before your last expected frost date.

Sowing seeds is done simply by scattering them on the ground and pressing down so they make good contact with the soil and aren't blown away. It is important the seeds are still exposed to light in order to germinate. Keep the soil moist until germination and then water whenever the soil feels dry. If you start indoors, don't transplant outside until after the danger of frost is past.15

Although it is somewhat frost tolerant once established, tender transplants do not fare well. In northern climates where the summers are cooler, the plants will enjoy full sunlight. However, in warmer climates, as you move further south, the plants need protection from the hot afternoon sun. This will extend blooming a little longer into the season.16

It requires a significant amount of energy for the plants to produce so many flowers. Once the weather gets very hot, Alyssum will stop blooming. The more heat- and drought-resistant plants may bloom longer into the hot weather.

Deadheading the plants will help them continue to bloom. This can sometimes be tedious if you have a large bed. With a large drift, you can shear them by one-third, encouraging the plants to set new buds quickly.

When planted in the ground, you may not need to add fertilizer unless the soil is poor. Planted in a container, alyssum will need more frequent watering and monthly feedings with an organic fertilizer. Alyssum makes a carpet-like ground cover that spreads and can create a living mulch under taller plants. They work well to fill in nooks and crannies on walkways and walls or along edges.17

Traditional Uses of Sweet Alyssum

Today, Alyssum is added to salads for flavor. However, there is a long list of traditional uses, some of which are not in current practice as the condition it was used to treat responds more consistently to other treatments. Rabies is one such example. Before using Alyssum for any health condition, consult with a knowledgeable practitioner and use it in moderate amounts.

Individuals who are allergic should avoid it entirely. That said, young leaves, flowers and stems can add flavor to your salad and other dishes, and the plant is commonly used in Spain as an astringent in the treatment of gonorrhea, and as a diuretic.18 Alyssum has also been used to treat:19

Abdominal pain

Colds and coughs

Pain from cavities and bleeding gums

Edema

Ascites (fluid in the abdomen)

Scurvy

Sweet Alyssum Helps Get Rid of Pests Naturally

Sweet Alyssum attract pollinators and butterflies,20 and are generally pest free. Occasionally, aphids can create a problem, especially when the plants are under stress. These are tiny insects known to pierce the stems of tender shoots and suck out nutrient-rich sap. Although an infestation may start out slowly, aphids reproduce quickly and a colony can easily destroy your garden if left untreated.

For minor infestations it might be possible to physically remove the insects using a pair of gardening gloves and a brush or pinch them off the plant. If the infestation is contained on one or two stalks, it is wise to prune off the affected portion, drop it in a bucket of soapy water and dispose of the plant material.21

If you have more bugs, it might be possible to use water pressure with the simple application of a garden hose. Make sure your plants are well-established and older as the pressure may harm younger, more fragile plants. The basic nature of mild household detergents makes it perfect to get rid of a mild or moderate aphid infestation.

Dilute a few tablespoons of dish soap and a bucket of lukewarm water and use a spray bottle or sponge to apply it to the plants where the aphids have taken hold. The soap dissolves the waxy coating from the aphid's body, which dehydrates the insect and eventually kills them without harming the plants.22

A cocktail of equal parts thyme, peppermint, clove and rosemary essential oils mixed in a small spray bottle of water is a potent insecticide against both the pest and their eggs and larvae.

Anytime you're treating for aphids, whether you're removing them manually using a garden hose or spraying on soapy water, make sure you treat the underside of the leaves where the eggs and larvae may be hiding.23

Planning Your Garden

Alyssum does well in borders or planted along a rock or stone wall. You may consider planting it to fill in gaps in your garden or as a living mulch around your trees. However, if these beautiful ground-covering flowers are part of a larger garden scheme, you may want to consider the following as companion plants:

• Blue Fortune (Giant Hyssop) — This drought- and heat-tolerant plant is generally disease- and pest-free. It displays lavender blue spikes from midsummer to early fall and is deer tolerant and low maintenance. When crushed, the aromatic foliage has an anise scent and can be used to flavor cold drinks.24

• Dahlia "David Howard" — These apricot orange flowers are set against dark purplish foliage. The flowers bloom massively from July until the first frost. They work well along borders and in containers and have a long vase life as cut flowers. Hardiness zones 3 through 7 may need to dig the Dahlia tubers in the fall before the first frost and store them over the winter to protect the plants.25

• Sedum Herbstfreude (Autumn Joy) — This vigorous flowering plant lasts more than six months and will remain attractive through the winter months in warmer climates. It stands 2 feet tall and wide, topped with tiny, starlight raspberry pink flowers that change to rich rose and copper rust in the fall.

They are best grown in full sun, but tolerate light shade and are attractive to bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. The plants are low maintenance, deer- and drought-resistant and heat tolerant.26

There are multiple health benefits to gardening, including improved emotional and mental health, cardiovascular exercise, stress relief, improved hand strength and dexterity and reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease.27 If you want to give it a try, the following apps may make quick and easy work out of planning your garden space.

Gardenize — This app allows you to choose your plants, upload your photos and take notes on your garden plan and growth. It's also a social platform where you can share your information with friends and ask questions of others.

Home Design 3D Outdoors — The free version allows you to make your plans but not save the information. Using an intuitive interface, the app shows your plan in 3D and allows you to edit your dimensions and add plants and lawn furniture.

Small Garden Ideas — This app helps you organize a small garden space, including an indoor garden or patio garden. Also included are ideas for vertical gardens, winter gardens and information on how to maintain your flowers and plants.

from HealthyLife via Jake Glover on Inoreader http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/12/07/growing-sweet-alyssum.aspx

[paullassiterca]

How to Grow Sweet Alyssum

Flowers are more than just a pretty way to fill your garden. Apart from their aesthetic quality, they have the power to reduce stress and inspire creative thinking. You might even find yourself less anxious while admiring your garden.

Flowers are often given as gifts to friends and loved ones and many have natural scents when in bloom, providing you with a natural air freshener and room deodorizer. Some flowers, such as marigolds, are natural pest repellents for your garden.1 Others play an important role in the growth of more flowers, fruits and vegetables by attracting pollinators such as bees, butterflies and wasps.

A study published in Evolutionary Psychology from Rutgers University2 revealed flowers help to improve emotional health by improving feelings of life satisfaction and positive social behavior. Female participants in the study reported those positive feelings lasted for days.

In the same study, those who gave the flowers were perceived as happy, achieving and capable individuals who were more emotionally intelligent and appreciative of beauty and nature.3

In addition to brightening up a room, some flowers may also be used in tea or taken medicinally when used properly, such as rose, chamomile, evening primrose and pagoda flower.4 However, while Sweet Alyssum is beautiful in your landscape and may be tasty in your salad, it is not often used medicinally.5

History of Sweet Alyssum

Sweet Alyssum, (Lobularia maritima), also known as Sweet Alison, is indigenous to the Mediterranean region, including the Canary Islands and the Azores, growing along the coast in areas of full sun. A member of the mustard family, it is often added to salads in Spain for a vitamin C boost. Although some eat Sweet Alyssum, others may get a rash from handling it.6

The name alyssum is derived from the Greek language. Since the prefix “a-” negates the word following it and “lyssa” means rage, alyssa means “without rage.”7 Those who named the flower may have had rabies in mind as it was used in folk medicine to treat the condition. In the language of flowers, Sweet Alyssum means “worth beyond beauty” or “sweetness of soul.”8

Alyssum was found in gardens as far back as the 1500s and prized for their low forming growth and fragrant flowers. During the 1800s, the yellow variety enjoy popularity in the U.S. By the 1900s, the more fragrant white flowered variety grew in popularity and was recommended as a plant for attracting bees.9

Sweet Alyssum Is Best Known for White Flowers

The genus alyssum contains nearly 170 species of flowering plants in the Brassicaceae family. Most are annual or perennial herbaceous plants growing up to 100 cm (nearly 4 inches) high with yellow or white flowers. Although Sweet Alyssum is best known for the fragrant white-flowered type, the plant does come in a variety of other colors as shown in this short video, including:10

Easter Bonnet — This is an early blooming variety in lavender or white, blooming through the spring

Pastel Carpet — This is a blend of pink, lavender and cream colors, offering a subdued colorful variety to your garden

Snow Princess — This is a sterile hybrid with white flowers. It is extremely heat tolerant and noted for the characteristic of spreading and cascading

Blushing Princess — This has a fragrant flower and a lavender color, also heat tolerant growing up to 8 inches tall and spreading nearly 24 inches wide

Wonderland series — This type has a deep red color growing in a compact flat plant, excellent for edging as it only reaches up to 5 inches tall and spreads 24 inches across

Sweet Alyssum is a delicate carpet of tiny flowers with narrow lance-shaped leaves and flowers with tiny four-petal, cross shapes. Although an annual plant in many hardiness zones, those who live in areas with a mild winter may find they return easily as a perennial, or even bloom through the winter.

The plants easily self-seed, being carried by the wind through your yard. If you’re planning to change varieties the following summer you may be surprised by several volunteers sprinkled throughout your garden.11

Planting and Caring for Your Hardy Annual Sweet Alyssum Flower

Alyssum prefers a rich soil with a neutral pH. They’re easily started from seed and since they enjoy the cool weather, they can be sown directly into your garden several weeks before the last frost.12 Gardeners in the U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zones 7 through-1113 may have plants growing year-round.14

As long as it’s not a hard freeze, your seeds will germinate and grow outdoors. However, if you’d like a large impact on your garden, start the seeds indoors five to six weeks before your last expected frost date.

Sowing seeds is done simply by scattering them on the ground and pressing down so they make good contact with the soil and aren’t blown away. It is important the seeds are still exposed to light in order to germinate. Keep the soil moist until germination and then water whenever the soil feels dry. If you start indoors, don’t transplant outside until after the danger of frost is past.15

Although it is somewhat frost tolerant once established, tender transplants do not fare well. In northern climates where the summers are cooler, the plants will enjoy full sunlight. However, in warmer climates, as you move further south, the plants need protection from the hot afternoon sun. This will extend blooming a little longer into the season.16

It requires a significant amount of energy for the plants to produce so many flowers. Once the weather gets very hot, Alyssum will stop blooming. The more heat- and drought-resistant plants may bloom longer into the hot weather.

Deadheading the plants will help them continue to bloom. This can sometimes be tedious if you have a large bed. With a large drift, you can shear them by one-third, encouraging the plants to set new buds quickly.

When planted in the ground, you may not need to add fertilizer unless the soil is poor. Planted in a container, alyssum will need more frequent watering and monthly feedings with an organic fertilizer. Alyssum makes a carpet-like ground cover that spreads and can create a living mulch under taller plants. They work well to fill in nooks and crannies on walkways and walls or along edges.17

Traditional Uses of Sweet Alyssum

Today, Alyssum is added to salads for flavor. However, there is a long list of traditional uses, some of which are not in current practice as the condition it was used to treat responds more consistently to other treatments. Rabies is one such example. Before using Alyssum for any health condition, consult with a knowledgeable practitioner and use it in moderate amounts.

Individuals who are allergic should avoid it entirely. That said, young leaves, flowers and stems can add flavor to your salad and other dishes, and the plant is commonly used in Spain as an astringent in the treatment of gonorrhea, and as a diuretic.18 Alyssum has also been used to treat:19

Abdominal pain

Colds and coughs

Pain from cavities and bleeding gums

Edema

Ascites (fluid in the abdomen)

Scurvy

Sweet Alyssum Helps Get Rid of Pests Naturally

Sweet Alyssum attract pollinators and butterflies,20 and are generally pest free. Occasionally, aphids can create a problem, especially when the plants are under stress. These are tiny insects known to pierce the stems of tender shoots and suck out nutrient-rich sap. Although an infestation may start out slowly, aphids reproduce quickly and a colony can easily destroy your garden if left untreated.

For minor infestations it might be possible to physically remove the insects using a pair of gardening gloves and a brush or pinch them off the plant. If the infestation is contained on one or two stalks, it is wise to prune off the affected portion, drop it in a bucket of soapy water and dispose of the plant material.21

If you have more bugs, it might be possible to use water pressure with the simple application of a garden hose. Make sure your plants are well-established and older as the pressure may harm younger, more fragile plants. The basic nature of mild household detergents makes it perfect to get rid of a mild or moderate aphid infestation.

Dilute a few tablespoons of dish soap and a bucket of lukewarm water and use a spray bottle or sponge to apply it to the plants where the aphids have taken hold. The soap dissolves the waxy coating from the aphid’s body, which dehydrates the insect and eventually kills them without harming the plants.22

A cocktail of equal parts thyme, peppermint, clove and rosemary essential oils mixed in a small spray bottle of water is a potent insecticide against both the pest and their eggs and larvae.

Anytime you’re treating for aphids, whether you’re removing them manually using a garden hose or spraying on soapy water, make sure you treat the underside of the leaves where the eggs and larvae may be hiding.23

Planning Your Garden

Alyssum does well in borders or planted along a rock or stone wall. You may consider planting it to fill in gaps in your garden or as a living mulch around your trees. However, if these beautiful ground-covering flowers are part of a larger garden scheme, you may want to consider the following as companion plants:

• Blue Fortune (Giant Hyssop) — This drought- and heat-tolerant plant is generally disease- and pest-free. It displays lavender blue spikes from midsummer to early fall and is deer tolerant and low maintenance. When crushed, the aromatic foliage has an anise scent and can be used to flavor cold drinks.24

• Dahlia “David Howard” — These apricot orange flowers are set against dark purplish foliage. The flowers bloom massively from July until the first frost. They work well along borders and in containers and have a long vase life as cut flowers. Hardiness zones 3 through 7 may need to dig the Dahlia tubers in the fall before the first frost and store them over the winter to protect the plants.25

• Sedum Herbstfreude (Autumn Joy) — This vigorous flowering plant lasts more than six months and will remain attractive through the winter months in warmer climates. It stands 2 feet tall and wide, topped with tiny, starlight raspberry pink flowers that change to rich rose and copper rust in the fall.

They are best grown in full sun, but tolerate light shade and are attractive to bees, hummingbirds and butterflies. The plants are low maintenance, deer- and drought-resistant and heat tolerant.26

There are multiple health benefits to gardening, including improved emotional and mental health, cardiovascular exercise, stress relief, improved hand strength and dexterity and reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease.27 If you want to give it a try, the following apps may make quick and easy work out of planning your garden space.

Gardenize — This app allows you to choose your plants, upload your photos and take notes on your garden plan and growth. It’s also a social platform where you can share your information with friends and ask questions of others.

Home Design 3D Outdoors — The free version allows you to make your plans but not save the information. Using an intuitive interface, the app shows your plan in 3D and allows you to edit your dimensions and add plants and lawn furniture.

Small Garden Ideas — This app helps you organize a small garden space, including an indoor garden or patio garden. Also included are ideas for vertical gardens, winter gardens and information on how to maintain your flowers and plants.

from Articles http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2018/12/07/growing-sweet-alyssum.aspx source https://niapurenaturecom.tumblr.com/post/180883218361

[investmart007]

Retirement Trend: Portugal’s Great-Value Real Estate Attracting More Baby Boomers

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/JWGfYk

Retirement Trend: Portugal’s Great-Value Real Estate Attracting More Baby Boomers

BALTIMORE, MD. / MAY 01, 2018 (STLRealEstate.News) –Portugal, the westernmost country on mainland Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, is a rising star on Europe’s retirement map. Boasting mellow port wines nurtured in northern vineyards, sun-kissed, sandy beaches with world-class surfing, and a capital city whose cable cars clatter over hilly, cobblestoned streets sweeping down to a sheltered bay—it’s easy to see why. Portugal also has Western Europe’s lowest cost of living, and foreign retirees can legally own real estate. All of these factors combine to make the country an increasingly popular choice for Americans looking to rent or buy property in an Old World European retirement haven.

Portugal’s Appeal

“Portugal was long overlooked by American travelers and retirees who knew of the charms of Italy, France, and Spain,” says Jennifer Stevens, Executive Editor of International Living.

“Portugal just wasn’t on people’s radar screens, but that’s begun to change. The country has seen a sharp uptick in tourist traffic. Long-term rentals are affordable and there is a massive variety of properties available to buy—making now an excellent time to check it out. Plus, a purchase here could save retirees thousands on property tax—it really has been Europe’s best-kept secret.”

International Living Correspondent, Tricia Pimental and her husband, Keith, moved to Portugal in 2012. Not only did their day-to-day lifestyle improve, but their cost of living dropped as well—a deciding factor in their decision to purchase a home in Portugal.

“We decided on a six-month trial period of life in Portugal,” Tricia says. “We came for the climate—Mid-Atlantic in the north, mild and temperate in the center, and Mediterranean in the south. The cost of living was also a huge draw.

“After moving to Portugal, we found we could live on approximately one third of what it had cost us in a small town in north-central Utah.”

Tricia fell in love with the country and that six-month trial period turned into five years of renting in various regions as they explored all this diverse country has to offer. According to International Living’s report, renting in Portugal is affordable—and advisable—before buying, in order to get a feel for the different regions.

Renting in Portugal

The Pimentals first home in Portugal was a 200-year-old stone cottage with an inviting red-lacquered wooden door and window boxes brimming with pink hydrangeas. It was completely furnished, with a cozy living and dining room complete with fireplace and two nicely proportioned bedrooms.

“The rent was $500 per month,” Tricia says. “We were just 15 minutes from the town of Villa Nova de Famalicão, where we did most of our shopping. The university city of Braga was 25 minutes in the other direction and the beautiful coastal city of Porto was 40 minutes away.”

The Pimentals spent a few months in windswept Esposende—a kite-surfing mecca on the Atlantic between Porto and the border with Spain—where, for $600 a month, they had a fully furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom modern condo with a shared pool.

Moving a little farther south, their next rental was a Spanish-style villa in a village 30 minutes from the medieval university town of Coimbra, sometimes known as “the Oxford of Portugal,” where students still wear black capes. This fully furnished home overlooking a vineyard offered four bedrooms, an office, a large living and dining room, and a private pool—all for $900 per month.

The next stop was Mafra–40 minutes north of Lisbon and home to a magnificent Palácio Nacional. Here they rented a large two-story home of four bedrooms, four bathrooms, a four-car garage, and a small guest house outside by the garden area—within walking distance of the center of town. “We finally moved our belongings here from the U.S. and furnished this house with our own things,” say Tricia. “Even with such an appealing location, the rent was just $1,000 per month.”

Buying Real Estate in Portugal

In 2017, Tricia and her husband began a serious search to buy. They were greeted with a buffet of appealing properties to choose from. The search began with a budget of $300,000 and a list of “must haves.”

1. Land, at least two acres, to grow fruit, vegetables, and herbs, and to provide space for a few chickens for eggs, maybe even a goat for milk and cheese. 2. A well for drinking water and irrigation purposes. 3. Solar panels for energy. 4. High-speed internet service, preferably fiber optic. 5. An hour—or less—to a major airport. Portugal has three international choices: Porto, Lisbon, and Faro. 6. A view: ocean, mountain, or countryside. 7. Quiet. 8. Hopefully, a vineyard.

“We contacted real estate agents we knew from past rentals, or who were referred by friends,” Tricia says. “Online searches of popular real estate sites yielded more connections.

“We scoured the internet for properties in diverse regions of the country: the popular expat enclave of the Algarve in the south; outside of the bustling, culture-rich capital of Lisbon; the glorious interior known as the Alentejo, with its meadows of wildflowers and proud, stout, cork trees lining country roads; and the mountains of Serra da Estrela, the Switzerland of Portugal.

“The variety was an insight into just how much is available. For example, a recently rebuilt traditional Portuguese farmhouse about 60 miles from Lisbon offered an entrance hall, living room with fireplace and porch/terrace, fully equipped kitchen, three bedrooms, an office, plus two full bathrooms and an extra one for guests. On the property were walnut, cherry, pear, and apple trees. The list price was $265,000—this was a serious contender.”

Keith’s dream of a vineyard almost came true when they viewed a house in the Alentejo, a classic Monte Alentejano. “The long, low lines and thick walls of the white-washed structures retain the cool in summer and warmth in winter but mean they are dark inside,” says Tricia. “The vineyard boasted three different types of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon. The selling price was $220,000—a bargain for someone looking to make a foray into the wine business.” But the Pimentals felt the changes they wanted to make would push them over budget.

The Purchase

On Tricia and Keith’s longest day searching they viewed five homes over 16 hours. Energy Performance Certificates (the official designation for energy efficiency), ranged from A to F; acreage from two to 22, prices from $69,500 to $289,000. “We’ve been well rewarded for our efforts,” says Tricia. “Our offer of $265,000 on a five-bedroom home with a mountain view, sitting on four acres of landscaped property, with pine and cherry trees, and some modest vines in the Beira Baixa region, was accepted.

“There’s even a pool, an unexpected bonus. Our house has mixed property of rural and urban use. Its tax value is assigned by the nearby city of Fundão. Our tax bill is $673.39.

“We couldn’t be happier!”

More information can be found here: Real Estate in Portugal

Editor’s Note: Members of the media have permission to republish the article linked above once credit is given to Internationalliving.com Further information, as well as interviews with expert authors for radio, TV or print, is available on request. Photos are also available.

For information about InternationalLiving.com content republishing, source material or to book an interview with one of our experts, contact PR Managing Editor, Marita Kelly, +001 667 312 3532, mkelly(at)internationalliving.com Twitter: @inliving Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/International.Living/

About International Living

Since 1979, Internationaliving.com has been the leading authority for anyone looking for global retirement or relocation opportunities. Through its monthly magazine and related e-letters, extensive website, podcasts, online bookstore, and events held around the world, InternationalLiving.com provides information and services to help its readers live better, travel farther, have more fun, save more money, and find better business opportunities when they expand their world beyond their own shores. InternationalLiving.com has more than 200 correspondents traveling the globe, investigating the best opportunities for travel, retirement, real estate, and investment.

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SOURCE: International Living