Hunte's Gardens - A Horticultural Paradise
By Rekke Editorial
Hunte’s garden is a botanical garden in the parish of St Joseph, in the centre of the island. The garden has been developed within a natural sinkhole-like gully. Unlike some of the other gardens in Barbados which have been developed over centuries, this one is relatively young. Horticulturist Anthony Hunte purchased 10 acres of former sugarcane plantation (Castle Grant plantation) in the 1990’s and began transforming the area – the garden opened to the public in 2007. Mr Hunte has extensive knowledge of flowers and plants, and he is always ready to share the wealth of information he possesses and talk about the history and maintenance of the garden.
Gullies were formed over thousands of years by water running from high ground to the sea. In Barbados, these have been home to a wide variety of native trees and plants and have provided habitats for flora and fauna. Gullies were also used by the indigenous Amerindians as routes between settlements. It is this characteristic, the winding footpath through a multi-level environment and natural clearings that has given this garden its charm, with secluded resting areas, showcasing a wide variety of tropical plants sourced from around the world. A large board at the entrance identifies over 84 varieties of birds, flowers and plants that you will see on your walk around the garden. Whilst most of this flora can be found all around Barbados, there are some species rarely found in parts of the West Indies.
The garden is divided into many small and ultimately secret gardens, where the plants are curated within these spaces to show them to their best effect. Each space is crammed full of the vivid colours and shapes that these tropical plants can offer, with ponds full of lily pads, statues and fountains whilst hummingbirds sing amongst the treetops.
The site has also retained elements of its colonial past, with stone buildings and structures that date back several centuries. The old weigh bridge where the cane was tallied, is just inside the gate, pass by old stone outbuildings with statues amongst the exotic plants and then come upon the lip of a great hemispherical sinkhole around which this garden is built. Steps down with towering trees around the edges help this garden to be the magical paradise it is; and at the centre of the garden is Hunte’s residence, a converted stable filled with antique furniture as well as open air rooms that visitors can view and perhaps stop for a rum punch or freshly made lemonade.
