GARDENS OF BARBADOS
White sand beaches, sparkling turquoise waters and stunning gardens, this ‘Island in the Sun’ has it all!
Barbados in the West Indies boasts a rich array of public gardens: St. Nicholas Abbey, Andromeda Botanic Gardens, Hunte’s Gardens, Flower Forest Botanical Gardens, Welchman Hall Gully and Orchid World & Tropical Flower Garden. The Barbados Horticultural Society sponsors “Open Garden Program” on select Sundays from January to March, when private homes open their gates to the public, similar to Toronto Botanical Garden’s “Through the Garden Gate.”
On route to St. Nicholas Abbey we pass through Cherry Tree Hill, an avenue lined with centuries-old mahogany trees planted by Sir John Alleyne in mid-19th century— the first of their kind on the island. Entering the gates of St. Nicholas Abbey plantation, great bushes of bougainvillea hang overhead. The formal gardens feature roses, hibiscus, citrus and mango trees. This 17th century great house brings history alive with rich antiques. We peer through the large windows of the drawing room to view a traditional English pattern herb garden containing garlic, lemongrass, chives, bay leaf, pepper and aloe vera.
A huge 400-year-old-sandbox tree (hura crepitans) dominates the stable yard. Its dark, pointed spines herald the local nickname, “monkey-no-climb.” Rum punch in hand, I relax on the terrace overlooking the old growth forest of indigenous flora and fauna: bright ginger lilies, majestic cabbage palms and ancient silk-cotton trees. On my way to the steam mill to see the cane grinding, I stop to appreciate the giant poinsettia.
Andromeda Gardens near the picturesque seaside village of Bathsheba was founded more than 50 years ago by horticulturalist Iris Bannochie, the doyen of horticulture in Barbados, who won medals at London’s Chelsea Flower Show, and was awarded the Veitch Memorial Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society. Because the site was littered with huge boulders, Iris named the garden for Andromeda, whom legend has it, was chained to a rock and rescued by Perseus.
Containing more than 650 plant species, the gardens span six acres. Paths meander uphill and down over bridges, and past ponds and waterfalls. The self-guided tour is informative reading, plants are labelled and clearly marked. Benches are strategically placed so you can sit down now and again. You can also linger by the lotus pond under the skeleton-like frangipani tree with its bare branches and waxy white petals. Other notable foliage include jade vine, breadfruit trees introduced by Captain Bligh, deep-crimson Heliconia stricta (named for the garden’s founder), the cucumber tree (whose fruit is made into chutney) and hot-pink, silky triangles of the shaving brush tree.
Hunte’s Gardens is a former private garden that owner Anthony Hunte has opened to the public. Hunte, a native Bajan, whose
British ancestors arrived in Barbados in the 1630s as indentured servants, has transformed a sink hole into a tropical oasis. His garden is stunning. This luscious garden descends down the side of a hill. As we meander down the steps, the ambience created by design, colour, birdsong and classical music is disarming. His “garden rooms” enchant. Roman sculptures remind me of Renaissance villa gardens in Italy. The little gargoyle adds his own charm.
Nearby Welchman Hall Gully, an example of a tropical rainforest, boasts exotic plants, giant bamboo, nutmeg and cloves, and is home to a troupe of resident green monkeys. Here botanists can sense what the island was like before sugar cane transformed the landscape. In the Flower Forest, royal palms provide shade along paths as flowering shrubs add bursts of colour. This lush, six-acre paradise has sea views, torch ginger lilies, African tulip trees, mango, golden apple and hog plum trees.
Most resorts maintain landscaped grounds. The Crane Resort is a prime example with inventive statuary, hibiscus and frangipani evident as we walk to the cliffs for spectacular views of Crane Beach.
For garden lovers, Barbados is an ideal spot to enjoy tropical beauty at its finest, resplendent with photo opportunities and memories in the making. n