This week the Unlikely Gardener highlights Tricia William-Singh’s passion project for Eva May.

Trisha William-Singh, affectionately called “Kay”, was extremely close to her grandmother Eva May Wright, who passed away last year at 99 years old. “When I had my grandma living with Nari and me for two months, she was happiest when she was wheeled out into the garden,” she discloses. “The biggest smile for Grandma was when I took her out into the garden with the flowers. The actual day when Grandma died she asked ‘Where is Kay?’. Before Miss Diane, her nurse, could answer, she said, ‘I bet she is out there watering her plants.’ Grandma said that she wished that she could go out and look but she wasn’t feeling very well.”

In memory of her grandmother and in fond recollection of her grandmother’s love for the garden, she has started a plant passion project in Eva May’s honour. Over the last year, William-Singh has gone back to her grandmother’s home town of Duff House, and other special towns in Manchester and St Elizabeth, donating hundreds of plants to date. Notably, she has donated 130 yellow poui trees for a “Plant Up Day” in Treasure Beach, her husband Nari’s favourite piece of the Rock. Twenty yellow poui trees have been donated to the rural town of Sea Air, Manchester, from which Trisha hails and which she dubs “the Yellow City” due to the residents’ penchant for painting things yellow. Twenty yellow poui trees will also be donated to her project partner restaurant Ophelia and Orren’s, which has been crowned by William-Singh as the best place to eat. The New Forest Primary & Junior High School, where William-Singh serves as board chairman, and Alligator Pond Primary and Infant School and their vicinities will also be beneficiaries of the project which now sees many donating plantlets to the cause.

Trisha’s advice for new homeowners

“If you are planning to buy a home, ensure that you have a garden. If you are just buying land start to put the infrastructure in for the plants so that once the building is complete your plants are there with you,” she recommends.

Enthused about Jamaica’s real estate, William-Singh is of the view that “the entire island is valuable” and is encouraging new landowners to “identify boundaries, put in plants that you’re passionate about preferably plants that can manage the drought.”

A good landscape tip: It’s good to always have a theme. “In every aspect of our home we planned. The rose garden is laid out for a purpose, so it has a theme. For example, if you enjoy having your coffee out with the plants, the fragrance is priceless,” she says.

Also, a direct to love one’s neighbours. She proffers, “Neighbourly love is to hand your neighbour a plant. A plant is a most fitting gift to give someone. It will have a tremendously positive impact on your neighbourly relationship.”

William-Singh and her husband Nari are in the habit of plant-giving and plant-swapping with true plant lovers and don’t believe in selling. When she has an orchid that produces a sucker or a kiekie, she shares the orchid joy and gives to someone who is willing to care for the plant. She’s given out over 1,000 plants, from palms to crown of thorns to orchids, since she has started her plant journey.

If you love to entertain, having a beautiful blooming plant will definitely cut down on décor cost; William-Singh feels that her “warm beautiful décor at home” which is always a delight to her friends has done just that!