To see more info and newest photos 2013-2019 and to share your own photos from Hunte´s Gardens please join the Hunte´s Gardens / Barbados fans site in Facebook that I created in spring 2013.
Friday, July 19, 2019
Thursday, September 12, 2013
The Many Wonders of the Hunte´s Gardens
(Updated in July 2019)
Bajans have a plant called Snow and a Christmas Candle flower, see below.
Meeting the Magic
Sometimes a day might look really long. And that was one of those days, on March 12, 2013. Few days before, after I had spent most of the time at Barbados South and West coast my new friends who had just visited Anthony Hunte told me I have to go to Hunte´s garden. Susanna, mother of two teen boys and his husband Shimi who live in North Europe had traveled many days all over the Barbados island and when Susanna insisted me to visit Hunte´s garden she did it in such a way it made me instantly to follow the tip. Even that it sounded as a surprise that some private garden is a must not to miss.
Being Caribbean distance fan from teen years - thanks to Ernest Hemingway - and finally visiting the Caribbeans several times this millennium its the people, their culture and look at life and of course the glorious Warm Queen the Sea attracting me back whenever I am away at cold North Europe.
So I never imagined just a visit to some garden could make any trick, to make any magic. But it really did.
Photo by Anneli Reigas
I lost the feeling of time, somehow even the sense being still on Earth in that garden during my first visit on March 12, 2013. The thousands of flowers, bushes and majestic palms in the private, still open to everyone gardens, created by Anthony Hunte welcome you into world that feels like a piece of heaven. I spent a lot of time at the bottom of the garden with the top high palm trees, incredibly beautiful flowers of which some look like small trees. There are sculptures, Buddha, Holy Mary, and many more.
Only days later when I had another look at the photos made on March 12, 2013 with many glowing objects on these photos I realised my first day at this beautiful garden was exactly six months before September 12, 2013 when 30 years will pass from the birth of my divine beloved son and the many many wonders on that magic day in the Hunte´s gardens got their message clearly through.
Anthony who made me to feel so welcome already during my first visit told me he has never read a book because of dyslexia and that he feels so much lost when someone asks him to find this and that in web. He has been repeating me that apology for not reading and writing well many times despite it sounds weird because I do join with full heart all these Tripadvisor visitors who wrote you could easily take Anthony for British Lord, not just a humble not well educated redleg he insists to be.
Only 3 percent of the Barbados friendly inhabitants are these days the white-skin. Many whites left when the country became independent after long rule under Great Britain but you still sense lot of britiśh in many little things on island. Anthony´s home is on of these British spots on island.
There is a signed photo also on balcony of Queen Elizabeth II husband Duke of Edingburgh. And since its not so easy to understand when Sir Hunte is serious and when joking I believed him when he noticed me looking at the photo and noted being a relative to Duke. Anyway, that got corrected soon. "Know the story about the garden of Eva and Adam? We are relatives since that garden," he clarified.
Me at least, I will equal the feelings got from that private garden experience with the ones I got at Maya pyramids in Mexico at Chichen Itza in 2012. I have felt something unearthy in air at both of those places, it just felt so. My special thanks amongst the miracles on my first day in Hunte's Gardens on March 12, 2013 go also to 11-year old Canadian boy Nicholas, on photo below taken by his dad.
If you are a classical music lover the sounds of classical music surround you in that garden all the time. You feel been taken with the peace and beauty of the Mother Nature that has given us such a short time in this life to enjoy it all.
The moment when you finally leave that garden you know its one of these places on Earth your soul will be most likely longing to return, sooner or later.
I also think its not only the garden and the feeling in it, but also the story of its creation that has turned so many Hunte´s Gardens visitors addicted to Anthony´s parish. It took him 2 years of very hard work to turn just a piece of land at gully into magic garden and when he started he was already 62. And with ever ongoing work and few years later the private garden of Anthony Hunte has became the most appreciated spot to visit in Barbados by Tripadvisor visitors ratings.
So what it tells us. I think the message is that its never late to decide you can do something big in your life or at least try to bring your dream for some good cause into real life.
I set up this page and Facebook site Hunte's Gardens / Barbados fans to enable Anthony to find comments and photos from his garden friends and links to these comments all at one place. And to have a site that links the Hunte´s Gardens fans. Feel free to share your photos and comments with us via Facebook. My special thanks go to Jonathan and Shimi for their photos they kindly shared with me and I can share with you in addition to mine.
Something urged me to ask Nicholas immediately when I met him in the Hunte´s gardens what are the colours of Estonian flag in North Europe. And the 11-year old Canadian boy knew it instantly, so he amazed also Anthony and showed also how the colours are located on flag. Turned out, the flags are his big hobby, so my inner voice that forced to ask that question was right again.
My son Oliver, next to lake Viljandi here in South Estonia, great nature lover since early childhood who made my life complete the day he came. Its a great blessing to have a child who is your soulmate and I hope at least some of you who read this here have been blessed with that gift too. I also hope your children will have a long and happy life and that they will never meet people who enjoy harming others.
If you are a citybird take your kids to nature often, it will nourish their spirit and will make them to value more what really matters in life.
Link to the video from my return to Huntes Gardens in September 2013.
Credits for photos up, right and down by Shimi Michaeli, Huntes Gardens Barbados 2013
To
reach the Hunte´s garden you have to reach Barbados first. The Hunte´s Garden is
in the middle of the island at St. Joseph parish. You can take a taxi that
will be max 30 min ride longest if you are at South or pick a bus at
Bridgetown bus terminal, line 5 to Sugar Hill. But check with driver when
boarding. The buses to and back depart every hour and stop just in
front of the garden gates. Just a tip - the Hunte´s gardens has
many hidden spots where you can relax and listen the classical music
Anthony shares all day with his flowers and the plants he has taken to
his Barbados homeland from all over the world. And while enjoying your
day nobody minds if you have some picnic items with you or switch to rock and hiphop in your i-pod. You can
also buy rum punch he makes himself that is highly appreciated as well as
home made limonade and orange cake. Or coffee and tea. And take your time, it might be a
while afterwords if at all until you will see as glorious nature
environment created by a solo gardener.
Anthony Hunte granted British Lord title - by visitor at Tripadvisor
Hunte´s gardens are rated as best place to visit while in Barbados by Tripadvisor members. The garden created by Anthony Hunte at his home is and opened from 9 to 16 every day has gained also global praise over the years. It is outlined in Amazon´s top 1 architecture bestseller book Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean and also in a book Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean.
Anthony Hunte was granted Lord title by Tripadvisor member recently, who wrote that while the owner of the Barbados number one, the most favorite attraction - as rated by army of Barbados visitors - often tells people he is from family of the white Barbados minority that worked for centuries serving others (called redlegs) and he himself has never read a book bcs of dyslexia, you could easily mistake Anthony for British lord... Its the emotional intelligence from our heart and ancestors and far not the written wisdom that makes someone wise. Read at Tripadvisor site below what the visitors have had to say about the Hunte´s Garden and note also there are lot of great photos added at the site - Tripadvisor site about Hunte´s Gardens.
A thousand cups of wine do not suffice
when true friends meet,
but half a sentence is too much
when there is no meeting of minds.
Chinese proverb
Watch interview with Anthony Hunte
Watch here a video from the garden and nice interview with Anthony Hunte, link to video from here.
Anthony Hunte´s ancestors have been on island for centuries. He has worked since his 20s as a gardener and likes to joke he is married to Maria Callas (20 years him older) despite the two never met. But which part of this is true is for you to guess. Long ago Maria Callas, born as Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos spent holidays on Barbados, at the famous Sandy Lane in Holetown. Anthony bought the big gate of the Sandy Lane entrance for 700 dollars when the hotel went under renovation and made it the entrance gate to his magic gardens. The voice of Maria Callas seems to be his favorite, and her recordings often fill the air all over the garden.
March 12, 2013
Bajans have a plant called Snow and a Christmas Candle flower, see below.
Meeting the Magic
By Anneli Reigas
Being Caribbean distance fan from teen years - thanks to Ernest Hemingway - and finally visiting the Caribbeans several times this millennium its the people, their culture and look at life and of course the glorious Warm Queen the Sea attracting me back whenever I am away at cold North Europe.
So I never imagined just a visit to some garden could make any trick, to make any magic. But it really did.
Photo by Anneli Reigas
I lost the feeling of time, somehow even the sense being still on Earth in that garden during my first visit on March 12, 2013. The thousands of flowers, bushes and majestic palms in the private, still open to everyone gardens, created by Anthony Hunte welcome you into world that feels like a piece of heaven. I spent a lot of time at the bottom of the garden with the top high palm trees, incredibly beautiful flowers of which some look like small trees. There are sculptures, Buddha, Holy Mary, and many more.
Only days later when I had another look at the photos made on March 12, 2013 with many glowing objects on these photos I realised my first day at this beautiful garden was exactly six months before September 12, 2013 when 30 years will pass from the birth of my divine beloved son and the many many wonders on that magic day in the Hunte´s gardens got their message clearly through.
Anthony who made me to feel so welcome already during my first visit told me he has never read a book because of dyslexia and that he feels so much lost when someone asks him to find this and that in web. He has been repeating me that apology for not reading and writing well many times despite it sounds weird because I do join with full heart all these Tripadvisor visitors who wrote you could easily take Anthony for British Lord, not just a humble not well educated redleg he insists to be.
Only 3 percent of the Barbados friendly inhabitants are these days the white-skin. Many whites left when the country became independent after long rule under Great Britain but you still sense lot of britiśh in many little things on island. Anthony´s home is on of these British spots on island.
There is a signed photo also on balcony of Queen Elizabeth II husband Duke of Edingburgh. And since its not so easy to understand when Sir Hunte is serious and when joking I believed him when he noticed me looking at the photo and noted being a relative to Duke. Anyway, that got corrected soon. "Know the story about the garden of Eva and Adam? We are relatives since that garden," he clarified.
Me at least, I will equal the feelings got from that private garden experience with the ones I got at Maya pyramids in Mexico at Chichen Itza in 2012. I have felt something unearthy in air at both of those places, it just felt so. My special thanks amongst the miracles on my first day in Hunte's Gardens on March 12, 2013 go also to 11-year old Canadian boy Nicholas, on photo below taken by his dad.
If you are a classical music lover the sounds of classical music surround you in that garden all the time. You feel been taken with the peace and beauty of the Mother Nature that has given us such a short time in this life to enjoy it all.
The moment when you finally leave that garden you know its one of these places on Earth your soul will be most likely longing to return, sooner or later.
I also think its not only the garden and the feeling in it, but also the story of its creation that has turned so many Hunte´s Gardens visitors addicted to Anthony´s parish. It took him 2 years of very hard work to turn just a piece of land at gully into magic garden and when he started he was already 62. And with ever ongoing work and few years later the private garden of Anthony Hunte has became the most appreciated spot to visit in Barbados by Tripadvisor visitors ratings.
So what it tells us. I think the message is that its never late to decide you can do something big in your life or at least try to bring your dream for some good cause into real life.
I set up this page and Facebook site Hunte's Gardens / Barbados fans to enable Anthony to find comments and photos from his garden friends and links to these comments all at one place. And to have a site that links the Hunte´s Gardens fans. Feel free to share your photos and comments with us via Facebook. My special thanks go to Jonathan and Shimi for their photos they kindly shared with me and I can share with you in addition to mine.
Photo by
Jonathan Vinden, Canada
Credits also to Nicholas. March 12, 2013, Hunte´s Gardens, Barbados.
Jonathan Vinden, Canada
Credits also to Nicholas. March 12, 2013, Hunte´s Gardens, Barbados.
My son Oliver, next to lake Viljandi here in South Estonia, great nature lover since early childhood who made my life complete the day he came. Its a great blessing to have a child who is your soulmate and I hope at least some of you who read this here have been blessed with that gift too. I also hope your children will have a long and happy life and that they will never meet people who enjoy harming others.
If you are a citybird take your kids to nature often, it will nourish their spirit and will make them to value more what really matters in life.
Link to the video from my return to Huntes Gardens in September 2013.
Credits for photos up, right and down by Shimi Michaeli, Huntes Gardens Barbados 2013
How to reach Hunte´s Gardens
To
reach the Hunte´s garden you have to reach Barbados first. The Hunte´s Garden is
in the middle of the island at St. Joseph parish. You can take a taxi that
will be max 30 min ride longest if you are at South or pick a bus at
Bridgetown bus terminal, line 5 to Sugar Hill. But check with driver when
boarding. The buses to and back depart every hour and stop just in
front of the garden gates. Just a tip - the Hunte´s gardens has
many hidden spots where you can relax and listen the classical music
Anthony shares all day with his flowers and the plants he has taken to
his Barbados homeland from all over the world. And while enjoying your
day nobody minds if you have some picnic items with you or switch to rock and hiphop in your i-pod. You can
also buy rum punch he makes himself that is highly appreciated as well as
home made limonade and orange cake. Or coffee and tea. And take your time, it might be a
while afterwords if at all until you will see as glorious nature
environment created by a solo gardener.Anthony Hunte granted British Lord title - by visitor at Tripadvisor
Hunte´s gardens are rated as best place to visit while in Barbados by Tripadvisor members. The garden created by Anthony Hunte at his home is and opened from 9 to 16 every day has gained also global praise over the years. It is outlined in Amazon´s top 1 architecture bestseller book Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean and also in a book Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean.
Anthony Hunte was granted Lord title by Tripadvisor member recently, who wrote that while the owner of the Barbados number one, the most favorite attraction - as rated by army of Barbados visitors - often tells people he is from family of the white Barbados minority that worked for centuries serving others (called redlegs) and he himself has never read a book bcs of dyslexia, you could easily mistake Anthony for British lord... Its the emotional intelligence from our heart and ancestors and far not the written wisdom that makes someone wise. Read at Tripadvisor site below what the visitors have had to say about the Hunte´s Garden and note also there are lot of great photos added at the site - Tripadvisor site about Hunte´s Gardens.
A thousand cups of wine do not suffice
when true friends meet,
but half a sentence is too much
when there is no meeting of minds.
Chinese proverb
Watch interview with Anthony Hunte
Watch here a video from the garden and nice interview with Anthony Hunte, link to video from here.Anthony Hunte´s ancestors have been on island for centuries. He has worked since his 20s as a gardener and likes to joke he is married to Maria Callas (20 years him older) despite the two never met. But which part of this is true is for you to guess. Long ago Maria Callas, born as Maria Anna Sofia Cecilia Kalogeropoulos spent holidays on Barbados, at the famous Sandy Lane in Holetown. Anthony bought the big gate of the Sandy Lane entrance for 700 dollars when the hotel went under renovation and made it the entrance gate to his magic gardens. The voice of Maria Callas seems to be his favorite, and her recordings often fill the air all over the garden.
March 12, 2013Sunday, March 10, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
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Saturday, February 23, 2013
Returns to Barbados: Bajans have a plant called Snow and a flower they call a Christmas Candle
By Anneli Reigas
Huge storm had cut off some palm trees in Hunte´s Gardens shortly before I stepped again into the magic world of the holticulturist Anthony Hunte and his young aid Vic at the end of summer 2013.
There were visitors in the garden when these palm trees came down at the bottom of the gully, but luckily nobody was hurt. Anthony adviced me to read what these visitors who had escaped these falling high palms had written to Tripadviser: these polite people had expressed their hope that the wonderful Garden will be cleaned again soon so they can finish their journey in that beautiful Hunte´´s Gardens! Look from Tripadvisor for how kindly they said that.
Tripadviser comments show people keep returning to Hunte´s Gardens during their Barbados return visits and for so many it's the first must destination on day after landing. That might make Anthony Hunte´s home garden the only private garden around the globe that has managed to create such a loyal and growing army of admirers. I tried to convince Anthony in September 2013 to put plates with names of those wonderful flowers, bushes and trees to the garden as people have asked for that. But he said anyone who really wants to ask about these garden inhabitants can pop the question to him when visiting. Kind of felt he feels that labels would make it more like a museum, but its still a home, even that its visited by thousands over the years. After the gardener then ordered me to find with his computer at least one person who has ever complained lacking names of plants in his garden and none came up immediately altough I have seen many such requests I decided to do some day the homework and add names of some most wonderful flowers and other plants to this site.
Have you heard there is a beautiful flower called Christmas Candle? Its a beautiful yellow flower that is said to come into full bloom before the Christmas season and is called Christmas Candle because they look like candles. When I first visited Barbados and Hunte´s Gardens these yellow Christmas Candles were among the most beautiful flowers you will immediately notice, two months past Christmas all in full bloom, as can be seen also on some photos at this site. In addition to flower called Christmas Candle Bajans also have named a white plant a Snow - looking like snow on mountain walls.
With no snow and ice Barbados is generally fully booked for Christmas season. 75 percent of Barbados population are Christians and Bajans do celebrate the Christmas season. Hard time for Bajan Santa Clause in midst of ordinary daily +30 by Celsius hot.
One of my Bajan friends told me the Barbados inhabitants believe their island is blesssed. I told the friend the name of the country where I was born - tiny Estonia in North Europe, that is much less known than Barbados but still several times bigger is called in local language Maarjamaa - the land of Mary. It was called as Terra Mariana (Land of Mary) officially already during medieval age. If only the name of holy Mary could turn also all people in such land worth the blessed name of their homeland...
People have asked me why have I visited Barbados more than once while to other few Caribbean spots I have never returned. The honest answer is I have liked all those places a lot, specially Guardalavaca in Cuba, and Yucatan and Chichen Itza in Mexico and Jamaica the wildest in a way too for music. But in Barbados - its the Sea of course, but even more than that its the sky over the Sea and Sunsets in Barbados between Oistins fishing village and Bridgetown. There just is something so un-Earthy and close to heaven in that place.
If you wish to try to catch a magic moment in Bajan sunsets when the sky is bit or more cloudy - stay there after Sunsets for some more time, up to 20 minutes and you might see darkening night sky been lit into fantastic sky-show for a few minutes.
The sky that turned all into red glowing magic on September 12, 2013 was the most beautiful Sunset follow-ups I have ever seen. Unexpected, powerful. I was just walking to spend a solemn night at the Southern Palms beach club with local Bajan steel band and I had no camera. More or less only evening I had left it at home, but a young friendly nanny from Eastern Europe with two Bajan kids who was also there and was amazed as rest of us emailed me the the photos already same evening. People run from nearby restaurants to sea when the show in sky started that night to catch the moment. It was incredibly beautiful and it happened on day when exactly 30 years had passed since the birth of my holy son Oliver.
Since June 2013 since a cloud took suddenly heart shape and letter making up first name of my daddy Juhan appeared inside it in sky I realized that the so many apparitions manifested in sky when I concentrate are manifested really for me personally. By the will of God, my divine boy is making miracles, and in so many cases I have been able also to take photos of those incredible apparitions.
Take you time to cherish that wonderful planet and care for her. And when in Barbados step also into Hunte´s Gardens and stay for some extra time by the sea after Sunset to see whether the sky has another surprise to offer that night.
Huge storm had cut off some palm trees in Hunte´s Gardens shortly before I stepped again into the magic world of the holticulturist Anthony Hunte and his young aid Vic at the end of summer 2013.
There were visitors in the garden when these palm trees came down at the bottom of the gully, but luckily nobody was hurt. Anthony adviced me to read what these visitors who had escaped these falling high palms had written to Tripadviser: these polite people had expressed their hope that the wonderful Garden will be cleaned again soon so they can finish their journey in that beautiful Hunte´´s Gardens! Look from Tripadvisor for how kindly they said that.
Tripadviser comments show people keep returning to Hunte´s Gardens during their Barbados return visits and for so many it's the first must destination on day after landing. That might make Anthony Hunte´s home garden the only private garden around the globe that has managed to create such a loyal and growing army of admirers. I tried to convince Anthony in September 2013 to put plates with names of those wonderful flowers, bushes and trees to the garden as people have asked for that. But he said anyone who really wants to ask about these garden inhabitants can pop the question to him when visiting. Kind of felt he feels that labels would make it more like a museum, but its still a home, even that its visited by thousands over the years. After the gardener then ordered me to find with his computer at least one person who has ever complained lacking names of plants in his garden and none came up immediately altough I have seen many such requests I decided to do some day the homework and add names of some most wonderful flowers and other plants to this site.
Have you heard there is a beautiful flower called Christmas Candle? Its a beautiful yellow flower that is said to come into full bloom before the Christmas season and is called Christmas Candle because they look like candles. When I first visited Barbados and Hunte´s Gardens these yellow Christmas Candles were among the most beautiful flowers you will immediately notice, two months past Christmas all in full bloom, as can be seen also on some photos at this site. In addition to flower called Christmas Candle Bajans also have named a white plant a Snow - looking like snow on mountain walls.
With no snow and ice Barbados is generally fully booked for Christmas season. 75 percent of Barbados population are Christians and Bajans do celebrate the Christmas season. Hard time for Bajan Santa Clause in midst of ordinary daily +30 by Celsius hot.
One of my Bajan friends told me the Barbados inhabitants believe their island is blesssed. I told the friend the name of the country where I was born - tiny Estonia in North Europe, that is much less known than Barbados but still several times bigger is called in local language Maarjamaa - the land of Mary. It was called as Terra Mariana (Land of Mary) officially already during medieval age. If only the name of holy Mary could turn also all people in such land worth the blessed name of their homeland...
People have asked me why have I visited Barbados more than once while to other few Caribbean spots I have never returned. The honest answer is I have liked all those places a lot, specially Guardalavaca in Cuba, and Yucatan and Chichen Itza in Mexico and Jamaica the wildest in a way too for music. But in Barbados - its the Sea of course, but even more than that its the sky over the Sea and Sunsets in Barbados between Oistins fishing village and Bridgetown. There just is something so un-Earthy and close to heaven in that place.
If you wish to try to catch a magic moment in Bajan sunsets when the sky is bit or more cloudy - stay there after Sunsets for some more time, up to 20 minutes and you might see darkening night sky been lit into fantastic sky-show for a few minutes.
The sky that turned all into red glowing magic on September 12, 2013 was the most beautiful Sunset follow-ups I have ever seen. Unexpected, powerful. I was just walking to spend a solemn night at the Southern Palms beach club with local Bajan steel band and I had no camera. More or less only evening I had left it at home, but a young friendly nanny from Eastern Europe with two Bajan kids who was also there and was amazed as rest of us emailed me the the photos already same evening. People run from nearby restaurants to sea when the show in sky started that night to catch the moment. It was incredibly beautiful and it happened on day when exactly 30 years had passed since the birth of my holy son Oliver.
Since June 2013 since a cloud took suddenly heart shape and letter making up first name of my daddy Juhan appeared inside it in sky I realized that the so many apparitions manifested in sky when I concentrate are manifested really for me personally. By the will of God, my divine boy is making miracles, and in so many cases I have been able also to take photos of those incredible apparitions.
Take you time to cherish that wonderful planet and care for her. And when in Barbados step also into Hunte´s Gardens and stay for some extra time by the sea after Sunset to see whether the sky has another surprise to offer that night.
 |
| Barbados, after Sunset, September 12, 2013 |
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