See Barbados' secret gardens
Cobblers Cove, one of the island’s best known luxury hotels, has developed a new gardening experience for guests with exclusive access to private gardens, not normally open to the public. Home to over 30,000 species of orchids and many tropical gardens, Barbados is a haven for green-fingered gardening enthusiasts.
The ten night garden tour will run throughout the month of June 2012. The tour will include one visit a day to a selection of private gardens, subject to availability. These include the two acre gardens of Aurora Villa on the West Coast with numerous orchids and tropical flowers and Point of View with its immaculately designed manicured gardens with a lily pond and bridge and a panoramic view of the West Coast and the Caribbean.
In addition there will be a daily guided tour to some of the island’s most renowned gardens including:
Huntes Garden – created in a sink- hole gully by the leading horticulturist Anthony Hunte, Huntes Garden grows on many levels from sunny open spaces down to dark, mysterious areas which are like the heart of a real Caribbean jungle. Guests will be given a guided tour of the garden by Anthony Hunte himself.
Welchman Hall Gully – developed 200 years ago and reported to be the home of the grapefruit, Welchman Hall Gully features a nutmeg walk and many exotic and native palms.
Andromeda Botanic Gardens – planted by the renowned horticulturist Iris Bannochie in 1954 and bequeathed to the Barbados National Trust, Andromeda Botanic Gardens contains many species of heliconia, hibiscus, bougainvillea and cacti.
A member of the Horticultural Society of Barbados will give a lecture on the flora of Barbados and Niki Farmer, the chief gardener at Cobblers Cove will also give a guided tour of the hotel gardens during the week.
The ten night Gardens Tour costs from £1,540 per person based on two people sharing a superior room and includes all entrance fees and transport to the gardens, lectures, full breakfast and afternoon tea.
For reservations visit cobblerscove.com.