The people that built this house we bought 4 years back apparently had exotic birds. They built this atrium off the garage and diningroom/livingroom windows with the center of the roof open (metal mesh cover), a light (for night viewing), a French drain to the street for washing down the pebble concrete floor and a water hydrant. I have converted it into a plant haven which offers a serene view from my dining room table. I have added Alocacia (elephant ears), a dwarf Sheffelera plant, two 'Green Velvet' boxwood under the diningroom windows, a foxtail and hanging asparagus, a pineapple plant, an orange kolanchoe. Plan on adding a Boston fern and large Pothos ivy next. It allows a 1-2-hour window of sunlight in the middle, which that scheffelera just loves! It beams into the dining room in the late afternoons, but also offers darker corners throughout the day for my shade-loving plants.

I was a baaaaaad girl today. Walked through Walmart garden center and just couldn't come away without the Lemon Button Fern below and a baby Sago Palm. Both were a bargain and both are going in this semi-outdoor atrium. They should like the bright light (taken at 6:3opm and the day long humidity out there. It holds that moisture that lingers after every watering I do with the hose. :)

I've moved my two young Ming Aralias out to this outdoor atrium today. They did well outdoors at my last house on my covered patio (no direct sun ever), so I'm hoping they will do as well here in this setting. Will have to bring them inside when temps drop below 50º though.

Peggy, looks like the perfect place for plants. I especially like the button fern.

Thank you, Bea. I had to shift the Aralias closer together as if left centered on those windows, left position gets 1 hour of sun a day. Not good for Aralias. But otherwise, all the plants seem to like it out there. The pineapple and kolanchoe are in the only sunny corner. It's probably not a lot of light (almost none on cloudy days) in the corner where I have the Colocasia 'Elephant Ears' but they do OK there. The cold-hardy plants stay put there all year long and just get blanketed when we dip below 40º. Those freeze sensitive get moved to an indoor skylighted indoor atrium at the center of my house.

Lovely display and variety of plants. They look so happy!

Very nice Peggy. I love the area and all the lovely plants.

Peggy ~ What a sweet space! Lucky you that the previous owners made you an exotic plant room

LOVE IT.

Thank you, @breith95. I change up some of the plants from time to time, but the larger specimens are permanent residents in this atrium.