Thursday 22 November 2007

Botanical Gardens in Nevis

I dug into my archives because I was suddenly in the mood for Nevis. The Botanical Gardens there are not terribly old but are absolutely beautiful. This scene was so straight out of a children's storybook that I had to capture it.
A single pan man. One pan around the neck can be just as dramatic as a whole band. In Trinidad right now, because the Carnival season is so early next year, all the steelbands have begun practicing. I can lie in my bed at night and listen to the pan being played on the hill. Some nights they go through a batch of carols and it is really lovely.
The cascading water coppers make for a dramatic central water feature. These authentic coppers often date back to the 18th century when they were used on the sugar estates to boil the cane juice to produce sugar.
Bromeliads have been put to quite dramatic use here with the differing colours providing the necessary contrast for a well sculpted bed. Bromeliads are an excellent choice for this type of effect as they are hardy and less prone to the bacterial and fungal threats that affect other plants. Their spiky, hard shape can provide the balance crucial in effective landscaping.