The ‘Season’ has started in Barbados, and that is good for me and for our house guests. Until the end of April, there is lots and lots to see and do in Barbados. Between horse racing, polo, concerts, plays, National Trust open houses, etc., etc., Ian and I shall be very busy. Even better, the Barbados Horticultural Society has started their ‘Open Garden’ for the next two months. These are small private gardens that the owners are graciously opening for a small fee allowing the BHS to raise money.
For the first open garden it was the home of Mrs. Jean Robinson, in Constant, St. George. She is the past president of the BHS and the Co-ordinator of the Barbados exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show from 1988, when the Society first began exhibiting, until her retirement last year. And we all know how Barbados cleans up at Chelsea, 15 Golds, 8 Silver-Gilt, and 1 Silver, quite the record. I got a chance to see a replica of their 2011 Gold winning exhibit when it was displayed at Limegrove Mall this summer.
The garden at Garden House, is over 2 acres of lawns divided by shrub borders. You enter via the poinsettia walk,
and through an opening in the wall.
A path takes you through the first garden room.
In the shrub borders that surround this first garden room there is a lovely combination of Dracaena marginata, Ixora and variegated Mahoe.
The variegated Mahoe up close and personal. We have this plant in my complex as well, and I love it.
The borders surround a beautiful 18th century Bajan house,
and the vivid colours of the shrubs and trees, whether in flower or not, lend a sparkle to the garden
Mussaenda
Bromeliad planter
Loved the Euphorbia lactea ‘White Ghost’, so striking against the dark ivy backdrop.
On one side of the house a lovely lily pool,
and a closeup of the dark tradescantia planted at the base.
Walking back towards the house, you pass this tree, wish I had been there when the orchids were in flower
.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that a lot of the material that is used at Chelsea came from this garden, there is so much beautiful foliage that would be perfect in a floral arrangement,
Variegated Heliconia
Red Leafed Banana
Variegated Banana
This is a yellow leafed form of Crinium, love it.
In the back 40, were a number of fruit trees and this huge bamboo.
a very handy plant for any floral designer, and you can cut your own canes for staking as well.
Although there is no formal design (and you know how I like that), I was amazed by the colour throughout the garden, and the huge number of plants that I had no idea what they were. (And some I recognized as house plants in Canada).
And how to end a perfect afternoon, but a lovely tea in the shade, how civilized...
I am a floral designer living in a tiny condo in downtown Toronto, Canada's largest city. But on the weekend, I am a gardener/frustrated architect trying to keep up with a 3/4 acre garden in Owen Sound, Ontario, a warm (to Canadians, Zone 5b, and a cold (to Americans, Zone 4b) garden.
