WELCOME HOME JUSTIN WRIGHT! - The Bulletin Magazine

TROPICAL GARDEN EXPLORATIONS CONTINUED...
The area around the great house, which was built of imported cut limestone in the 18th century, is manicured
and carefully tended. Our guide patiently leads us on a path through the gardens. Desert Rose (Adenium
obesum), Golden Chalice Vine (Solandra maxima), Golden Shrimp Plant (Pachystachys lutea), Purple
Allamanda (Allamanda blanchetii) and Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) have been planted in open sunny
areas. I’m fascinated by the colours and varieties of hibiscus because I grow hardy ones at home. Most
hibiscus hybrids, especially doubles and triples, need more watering and attention than the hardier diseaseresistant
indigenous hibiscus with its pretty variegated leaf and simple red flower.
Tyrone gives botanical names, describes medicinal and herbal uses and tells traditional stories about the plants.
As we climb a hilly trail beside a stream to the less cultivated part of the property, we’re madly taking pictures
and writing notes. It may be relatively cool for the Caribbean, but I’m feeling warm. Tyrone points out flowers
thriving in the dappled shade of overhanging branches. A large Ixora (Ixora coccinea) shrub is covered in
clusters of bright red flowers. The dark shiny leaves of the Coffee Rose shrub (Tabernaemontana divaricata)
make its white flowers pop like rich camellias in a bride’s bouquet. Clumps of breathtaking pink ginger lilies
(Alpinia Purpurata), Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia spp.) and Parrot’s Beak Heliconia (Heliconia pendula) cause
us to stop and click furiously. These arresting flowers do well in shady, moist areas of the forest and wellcomposted
home gardens.
The air becomes more humid. Around the final bend, we hear the welcome sound of falling water. We grab
hold of vines to swing out into the cool pond for an unforgettable swim in the flower forest. All refreshed for
the return trip downhill, I ask permission to gather a few favourites. Back at the villa, I arrange them on a large
leaf and take pictures to share with my fellow garden enthusiasts. Perhaps these images will entice them to
join me in future tropical garden explorations... but first I’ll mail one off to Tyrone as a gesture of thanks.
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26 The Bulletin | 13TH YEAR www.TheBulletinMagazine.com