Nestled on three acres of lush tropical vegetation is Hopewell House, home for the last 30 years of Mr and Mrs Peter Gilkes. Expansive, neatly cut and highly manicured lawns, edged with delightful eyefuls for all to enjoy, and punctuated by massive spreading majestic mahogany, statuesque bay leaf, black willow, frangipani, cassias, flamboyant and Spanish ash trees, surround the nicely restored and well maintained historic plantation house.
As you enter the inner courtyard, a blaze of blue gingers, at the base of what is arguably the largest Dracaena marginata you will ever see, will take your breath away. Several hanging baskets with orange, white, pink and red impatiens beckon you with their beauty as they carefully guard the garage. Surprises await you in many areas with colourful foliage and flowering plants and shrubs, including a fine specimen of the “Sexy Pink” heliconia, currently in flower, and beautiful stands of pink and white gingers. Additionally, fruit trees are in abundance including hog plum, Julie mangoes and lime trees all adorning wonderful open spaces.
One of the highlights of this garden is the gully that passes through the eastern side of the property. It is here that much of the fantasy of the garden is generated. Several artistically created flights of steps lead you gently into this magical playground of the fairies, in which a Japanese styled pergola may be found. Mass plantings of Impatiens of all colours and marigolds brighten this area with lovely splashes of colour, whilst smaller planters created along the walls of the gully contain an assortment of unusual and interesting plants. Many of the original trees of the gully have been retained and several specimens of the Barbados fan palm, Cocothrinax barbadensis, can be found in this area.
The floor of the gully has been concreted, thereby preventing further erosion during the rainy season whilst at the same time creating a firm walking pathway and a large drain to a 20 000 gallon storage tank at the lower end of the gully. This allows Peter to harvest the run-off water passing through the gully, which he then uses to irrigate the property. A sizeable wooden deck, built on the western side of the gully, provides outdoor entertaining and barbecuing space, whilst providing a wonderful lookout over the gully. A bridge crosses over the gully and provides a unique viewing platform into the gully. Unfortunately this will not be open during this visit as it was damaged by falling trees during the passage of Tropical Storm Tomas last year. Tomas did a significant amount of damage to the gully area but Peter has done a remarkable job in restoring much of the beauty of this area over the last few months.
Breezy and cool, Hopewell offers a variety of trees and flowering shrubs, meandering pathways with wide easy steps leading you to a bit of fantasy through the easily accessible reclaimed gully – a must see for the garden enthusiast.
(Courtesy of the Barbados Horticultural Society)
