Known as one of the most popular gardens on the island, Hunte's Gardens is truly a magical garden which showcases the labour of love.
Horticulturist Anthony Hunte purchased 10 acres of land [which was once a sugar plantation] in 1990 and started work on the gardens in 2005 when he was about 63 where he transformed the sinkhole into what you see today!
Seriously - can you believe that this garden was once a sinkhole?
We have previously been to Hunte's Gardens (as a couple) and spent our time playing with tea sets, instruments and finding adventures in the little nooks across this massive garden.
Amist everything that's been happening in the world with the pandemic (it's been1 year and 6 months since our first lockdown), Steven and I decided that it's still important that we spend quality time together (indoors and outdoors) - we just needed to find places which aren't heavily populated!
So, with that challenge in mind, we packed our picnic basket and made our way to St.Joseph to visit Hunte's Gardens!
Here was our visit to Hunte's Gardens in 2017:
Since 2017, we assumed a lot would have changed and we where excited to visit - not only to relive past memories but to experience any changes that would have been made and as usual, we weren't disappointed.
On arriving at the gardens, we were ushered to the nest of a humming bird - this was a pleasant surprise as neither of us has ever seen a hummingbird's nest!
After, we made our way down to the main area within the garden. The one thing which stood out to us was the music - we didn't remember a sound system in the garden during the times we've been there before - but we enjoyed the soothing background music which aided in creating the calming nature of the garden.
We continued to explore every piece of this garden in true "Bottled Sunshine" fashion!
All this time that we spent wondering the gardens, we didn't know that the real highlight was Mr. Hunte himself! As we climbed the upper level steps to Mr. Hunte’s house, here is where we met the legend for the first time. He beaconed us to have a seat and make ourselves comfortable on the patio of his home - a transformation of the old stables as he finished up with other guests.
On this patio we sat and chatted for a while as we sipped on a glass of Hunte's Garden's freshly made ginger-lemonade. He even offered us a sample of his own 10 Year Old Reserve Fine Barbados Rum - which is only available at Hunte’s Gardens!
Mr. Hunte truly is a wonderful soul filled with years and years of knowledge and stories and you can't help but admire and marvel at a man who created a marvel in his backyard. It's clear that his passion isn't just the gardens itself but sharing this with others as he interacts with each and every guest in such a genuine way.
You don't have to be a plant lover to appreciate this space but one can certainly appreciate the work which would have gone into creating a masterpiece such as this one.
The gardens are absolutely beautiful, evoking a true sense of calm and serenity - it's truly an oasis.
If you're planning to visit the gardens, here is a tip for you - be sure to go only when you have time to spend to truly explore and disconnect.
With an entry fee of $20USD / $40BBDS per person (children under 12 are half the price), this might seem expensive (especially to the average Barbadian) but with a plan in mind, the time will go by and you'll be eager to do it again. Feel free to bring a book to read and arrange a picnic or lunch date with your loved one(s).
If you're afraid to venture out due to the pandemic, rest assured that the grounds are large enough (with cozy seating areas situated in private nooks across the garden) that you can stay within your own bubble and keep safe (and uninterrupted) during these times - #staysafe.
Hunte's Garden made the list in Our Top 7 Most Romantic Places In Barbados. Check out some of our date ideas and the 6 other romantic places which made the list!
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