Caribbean Dreams Magazine Volume 2 | Page 63

Going Green Grand Gorgeous Gardens B Provided by the Barbados Tourism Authority arbados is home to award winning beaches, homes, gardens and flowers; it is also home to thousands of horticultural enthusiasts. Between the months of January and April, the Barbados Horticultural Society encourages the green thumbs on the island to open their gardens to those of us with the ‘not so green thumbs’ to go green with envy and admiration. The event brings droves of people to the homes in the open garden program, which is hosted on certain days on the island. It is an event anticipated by locals and visitors alike and it has been an ongoing tradition for the last 25 years. Garden enthusiasts, this is your chance to learn their secrets, chat with an owner, have tea on their lanai and spend an afternoon enjoying the fruits of Mother Nature’s labour. Enter open gardens and experience the lives of “the rich and famous”, well at least those of the gardening world! So if you don’t have the time, space, energy or green thumb to create one of these stunning works of art yourself, then why not visit one of the Barbados Horticultural Society’s Open Gardens? The program begins in January but not every garden on island is open, so don’t run off with your camera to photograph your neighbours perfect Frangipani tree. Instead, visit the following Grand Gorgeous Gardens this season for a small fee. Follow the signs to find these gardens open from 2 – 6pm, admission is only $15. Call (246) 428-5889 Wednesday or Friday between 9am- 2pm for more info. JANUARY 21ST “Fisherpond House” St Thomas Garden of Mr & Mrs Jeff Chandler FEBRUARY 2ND “Wind Blown” Long Bay , St Philip Garden of Mr & Mrs Orson Daisley “ By De Sea” Long Bay , St Philip Garden of Mr Ed Thal & Mr Joe Murphy FEBRUARY 9TH “Woodland” St George Garden of Mr & Mrs Damien McKinney FEBRUARY 16TH “#7 Gibbs Hill” St Peter Garden of Mr and Mrs Keith Simmons Caribbean Dreams | 63