This week, SO Gardening visits the parish of St Andrew, at a home garden cared for by Virgin’s International Trading Limited director Garfield Virgin. The space, about 14 years in the making, has a small waterfall, pergola, along with flower, cactus and orchid garden. The front of the house features mostly the flowers and cactuses, and around back the garden has the fruit gardens and rare plant species.

A top feature in the flower garden is the pergola that is decorated with hanging mandevillas, asparagus ferns and portulacaria afras. Walking through, you almost feel like you’re having a red-carpet, well in this case, a garden-carpet moment! So it’s not hard to believe Virgin hosted a friend’s wedding in the garden. The design of the orchid garden is thought out as the roots are covered with coal to keep the roots cool and to enhance the look, there are decorative white seashells.

Virgin didn’t hold back in sharing that he “cares for his plants dearly”, watering them every morning. Even during his morning exercises, if there is anything out of place, he fixes it, as tending to his garden is not just a hobby, and he oftentimes tries to involve his children in the process.

“It’s not just having flowers; these have a home” he continued. And there are signs. SO Gardening was greeted by well-fed caterpillars at different spots in the garden and chirping birds in their respective cages.

Every dedicated garden owner has their favourite features, and for Virgin, it’s his variety of blooming flowers, orchids and cactuses. One would think this garden is short of nothing, but Virgin says he is looking forward to adding some more orchids, bird’s-nest fern and lipstick palms. This garden also features a few rare species such as the calathea medallion and the governor’s plum (which was blossoming on our visit; the fruit turns purple when ripe). His fruit trees are almost endless, nurturing banana, sweetsop, breadfruit, and coconut trees.

To achieve a similar garden, here is some advice to aspiring gardeners from Virgin:

• Every garden needs regular spraying and fertilising.

• Know the best places to put your flowers or plants based on their need for sunlight and/or shade.

• Find out the best times to use insecticide (to control insects) and fungicide (to help with fungal problems).

• Seek professional guidance.