Purple bougainvillea arbor, Florida, 1951

About this postcard

A purple bougainvillea in full bloom spills over a white lattice arbor behind a low red brick wall, with palms and other greenery crowding the left side. The printed caption calls it "An Arbor of Purple Bougainvillea in Florida." Bougainvillea, a South American vine, became a signature ornamental planting of Florida gardens and winter resorts in the early 20th century, and flowering specimens like this were a favorite subject for tourist postcards. The message on the back, written on New Year's Eve 1951, sets the scene against the picture: the writer had driven down from the Midwest to visit relatives over the Christmas holiday and reported temperatures near 82, a sharp contrast to the ice and tire chains left behind at home.