GPOD on the Road: Caribbean Gardens

Hello, I’m Lisa Remby. I have shared photos of my Zone 6b Massachusetts garden on GPOD before  (A New Garden in Massachusetts). Recently, my husband and I visited two gardens in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a small, tropical, Zone 13 island in the Caribbean. The first, St. Vincent Botanical Gardens, is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, founded in 1765 primarily to provide medicinal plants for the British military. Captain Bligh famously brought the first breadfruit plant to these botanical gardens, and now breadfruit is a staple of the St. Vincent diet. The second, Montreal Gardens, is the private garden of a passionate gardener. The bus ride around the cliffs and over the hills of St. Vincent to this rainforest garden was frightening at times, but I just knew it would be worth the drive. Indeed, it was a leisurely walk through a lush, tropical forest with more flowers and large-leafed plants than I could name or count! The main allée of the botanical garden—very parklike in its orientation. There are mountains in the distance, but they were obscured by clouds at that moment. (Clouds typically blow by, and sun is shining in the next moment.) Jacaranda trees (Jacaranda mimosifolia, Zone 10) dot the property at the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens. As you would expect at any botanical garden, there are quite a few tree species, including palms, pines, and deciduous trees such as the cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis, Zone 11), which was blooming during our visit. The pollinated flowers produce the fruits that give the cannonball tree its common name. The fruits also grow on the vines along the trunk, not from branches. A St. Vincent scenic lookout on the drive to Montreal Gardens. A first look at the variety of tropical plants trailside at Montreal Gardens. Coleus is a very popular bedding perennial in the Caribbean. False birds of paradise (Heliconia, Zone 10), aka lobster claws, were present along the path—and there were other varieties in orange and pink! Just look at the beautiful variegated greenery on the forest floor. Heliconia psittacorum—so vibrant! Flower of the red wax apple (Syzygium malaccense)—so pretty, but messy! See the next photo. Flowers dropping from the red wax apples—still pretty. This is beehive ginger (Zingiber spectabilis, Zone 9), which I had never seen before. At first I thought it was a garden ornament. Well, I guess it is! There were several large angel’s trumpets (Brugmansia, Zone 9) or trumpet flower trees at Montreal Gardens. Such a treat! Have a garden you’d like to share? Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit! To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden. Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening! Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

GPOD on the Road: Caribbean Gardens

Hello, I’m Lisa Remby. I have shared photos of my Zone 6b Massachusetts garden on GPOD before  (A New Garden in Massachusetts). Recently, my husband and I visited two gardens in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a small, tropical, Zone 13 island in the Caribbean. The first, St. Vincent Botanical Gardens, is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, founded in 1765 primarily to provide medicinal plants for the British military. Captain Bligh famously brought the first breadfruit plant to these botanical gardens, and now breadfruit is a staple of the St. Vincent diet. The second, Montreal Gardens, is the private garden of a passionate gardener. The bus ride around the cliffs and over the hills of St. Vincent to this rainforest garden was frightening at times, but I just knew it would be worth the drive. Indeed, it was a leisurely walk through a lush, tropical forest with more flowers and large-leafed plants than I could name or count!

main path through botanical garden with lots of palm trees on both sidesThe main allée of the botanical garden—very parklike in its orientation. There are mountains in the distance, but they were obscured by clouds at that moment. (Clouds typically blow by, and sun is shining in the next moment.)

tree with bright purple flowersJacaranda trees (Jacaranda mimosifolia, Zone 10) dot the property at the St. Vincent Botanical Gardens.

close up of pink cannonball tree flowerAs you would expect at any botanical garden, there are quite a few tree species, including palms, pines, and deciduous trees such as the cannonball tree (Couroupita guianensis, Zone 11), which was blooming during our visit. The pollinated flowers produce the fruits that give the cannonball tree its common name. The fruits also grow on the vines along the trunk, not from branches.

scenic view of lush, tropical islandA St. Vincent scenic lookout on the drive to Montreal Gardens.

close up of garden bed with colorful foliage and bright pink flowersA first look at the variety of tropical plants trailside at Montreal Gardens. Coleus is a very popular bedding perennial in the Caribbean.

close up of False birds of paradiseFalse birds of paradise (Heliconia, Zone 10), aka lobster claws, were present along the path—and there were other varieties in orange and pink! Just look at the beautiful variegated greenery on the forest floor.

close up of bright pink and orange tropical flowersHeliconia psittacorum—so vibrant!

close up of pink red wax apple flowerFlower of the red wax apple (Syzygium malaccense)—so pretty, but messy! See the next photo.

garden path covered in bright pink petalsFlowers dropping from the red wax apples—still pretty.

close up of beehive ginger conesThis is beehive ginger (Zingiber spectabilis, Zone 9), which I had never seen before. At first I thought it was a garden ornament. Well, I guess it is!

angels trumpetsThere were several large angel’s trumpets (Brugmansia, Zone 9) or trumpet flower trees at Montreal Gardens. Such a treat!