Hello, my garden enthusiasts!

It’s no surprise to me that the brother and sister we’re profiling are avid gardeners! Their mother of blessed memory, also an avid gardener, had one of the most beautiful gardens — “chip no fly far from the block”, as we say in Jamaican patois.

I will refer to the brother as “Doc” and the sister as “Prof”. Doc’s garden is featured today and Prof’s garden will be featured in Part 2.

This Doc and Prof have both downsized their homes to live in townhouses in St Andrew. I am happy to share their gardens, which demonstrate that you don’t have to have a big yard to have a beautiful garden.

Townhouses have limited personal green spaces coupled with the fact that one must comply with the rules and regulations governing the complex.

The before and after pictures of Doc’s low-maintenance garden comprise a variety of bromeliads, euphorbia (crown-of-thorns), areca palm, dracaena, ixora (miniature), hanging ferns, aglaonemas (Chinese evergreen), crotons, caladiums, mandevillaes — red and white (rocktrumpet), and a growing collection of sun vandas.

As you drive into the car port you are greeted with an array of bromeliads and an agave in a small rock garden under the kitchen window. The garden is illuminated at night with solar lights. On alighting from your car onto an interlocking brick walkway adorned with a variety of colourful aglaonema, you approach an inviting yellow front door flanked by dracaena (song of India) in designer pots.

Doc’s love for the outdoors, and watching the birds feed and listening to their cheerful chirps, soon led him to transform his small backyard into an oasis where he enjoys dinner and cocktails with his family and friends. Doc also looks forward to coming home to his garden early, whenever possible, to water his plants and feed his birds.

The focal point of the back yard is a picturesque statue planted with a ponytail or elephant’s foot palm (Beaucanea recurvate) surrounded by a variety of bromeliads, euphorbias, dracaena, areca palms, just to name a few.

There is also a large yellow poui tree which is under planted with a variety of bromeliads. This poui tree is strung with colourful pepper lights and is a show-stopper at nights.

Doc also has a herb garden of fever grass, chives, aloe vera and rosemary. A wrought-iron bench (handed down by his mother) was designed by a renowned Jamaican artist and is strategically placed close to the herb garden.

A large terracotta pot showcases Doc’s sun vandas.

Doc’s love for birds led him to commission a pergola from which hangs a variety of bird feeders and chimes. The pergola is flanked by two large square pots containing mandevillas (red & white) which climb gracefully up the supports illuminating it with brightly coloured trumpet-like flowers.

The garden is accented throughout with his favourite wall and garden art.

Don’t miss Part 2 where Prof’s garden will be featured.

Remember, plant something and watch it grow!

Doc’s garden, designed and maintained by Sharon Cain.