The Project Begins........

The front of the house. Renovations are ongoing inside with a blank slate for the yard except for some backyard fruit trees and the stunning multi-coloured bougainvillea to the right of picture.

The house Bougainvillea adorning a bottle of 2004 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, one of the best Champagnes I've tasted.

The before picture of the backyard. To the right a large mature Golden Apple tree and left a Mammy Apple.

8 Yards of compost delivered just before the fencing goes up. An attempt to amend the extremely heavy clay "soil" roughly 2 feet above solid limestone. A challenge.

The first delivery of very valuable mature palms for free!! via the clients old school friend that had to remove them from a project site being developed.

Me admiring the second delivery of palms, 10 in all !!!! A true blessing.

Barbade

I have taken a wonderful assignment for the winter in Barbados to design and build a garden. I also decided to import plants from Canada to Barbados for this project. All necessary permits and inspections were completed after an interesting shop to two nuseries in ontario www.floraldimensions.com and www.bonsaistore.ca the first specializing in succulents and the other airplants/Tillandsias. Below a few pictures of the succulent nursery, cuttings were made from stock plants alleviating any rootwashing that is mandatory with plant export, over 100 cuttings were made.

A selection of the Tillandsias I chose, which had just arrived into Canada the day previous from a supplier in Europe.

The suitcase being opened and plants being potted up. Most of the plants are varieties not available on island after discussing beforehand with a local bajan garden designer.

The next chapter of the project will follow shortly......

Hunte's Heaven

I was fortunate to have two trips to Barbados during my 2012 working sabbatical in St Lucia. Its a quick 40 minute flight and a change of pace . Barbados has to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean and a very keen gardening community. I visited Hunte's Garden, www.huntesgardensbarbados.com It was a truly inspirational garden moment not unlike my visits to Powis Castle in Wales or Sissinghurst in England. The sense of intimacy, plant combinations, colours, and the unique layout was captivating. Under 2 acres in size in a large caldron shape from a collapsed cave thousands of years ago. Bajan Anthony Hunte has created an oasis par excellance in a span of only two years! Evidence of his lifetime in the plant nursery industry. A one way staircase leads down gracefully to the bottom of the garden bowl with paths leading off into intimate garden spaces each complimented by a table and chairs to sit, relax and soak up the atmosphere ( including Maria Callas) I have never seen so many plants so tastefully presented and in such health and vigor, Not a patch of bare earth to be seen! After a relaxing break of packed nibbles in a comfy armchair I ascended the staircase to be dazzled by all the plant beauties I missed coming down. Past a huge chaudiere or cauldron filled with tropical waterlilies to the outbuildings of a past sugar plantation now used as Anthony's residence. He welcomes you onto the veranda overlooking the garden below. I had a very tasty rum punch and wonderful conversations with Anthony and other visitors. A return visit is a must ......Well done Anthony!!! .....at the bottom of my pics im posting the address of a video interview of Anthony found online...It will give an enhanced view of the garden.

 Anthony Hunte "Gardener Extraordinaire"

One of Anthony's Arrangements

Ive shown no close-up plant shots !! Another Blog !

VIDEO OF HUNTE'S GARDEN

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duMzzNedZAs