Hunte’s Gardens is a tropical garden in the heart of Barbados (map). This lush garden, roughly 3 acres in size, is packed to the brim with towering royal palms, bromeliad, anthurium, ginger plants and a plethora of other colourful tropical plants. It’s a beautiful place for a tranquil stroll to enjoy the greenery and listen to the birds. The gardens were created by Anthony Hunte in a collapsed cave and were opened to the public in 2007. After my visit, I had nothing but admiration and respect for his (and his team’s) dedication and hard work to create this enchanting place. The result of his labour of love is awe-inspiring, making a visit to Hunte’s Gardens, one of my recommended things to do in Barbados!
The gardens used to be part of the Castle Grant sugar plantation. In 1990, Anthony bought ten acres of this plantation and transformed the area in and around a collapsed cave into a garden. These days, Hunte’s Gardens is arguably one of the easiest places of interest in Barbados to find as there are signs showing the way to the gardens all across the island!
A walk around the gardens
As I entered the gardens, the first thing I noticed was how vibrant everything looked. There were so many interesting things to look at but as I turned a corner, the impressive royal palms stopped me in my tracks. Towering high above the gardens, the canopy of palm fronds looked absolutely resplendent!
The garden invites visitors to explore, with paths leading off in different directions. I strolled around the upper levels of the garden before descending down the stairs to the lower levels.
As I walked around, I was accompanied by soothing classical music and chirpy birds. I loved how lush everything looked, with little nooks and corners to sit in and enjoy the tranquility. There are so many plants to admire, from the sea of anthurium to the different sorts of ferns, ginger plants, orchids, hibiscus, begonias and bromeliad. I also spotted several hummingbirds zooming around and little green lizards.
After my walk, I met with Anthony and he shared a few stories of how he created the gardens with his team – it really is a fascinating journey. He also showed me The Garden Room and a new adjacent section of the gardens he was working on.
If you’re visiting Barbados, don’t miss Hunte’s Gardens. It really is worth the visit, and if you have time, stay on for a chat with Anthony.
Hunte’s Gardens
Address: Castle Grant, St. Joseph, Barbados
Opening times: Daily, 10am – 4pm
Admission price: USD $15
For more info, visit the website
[…] is to visit one of its beautiful tropical gardens. One garden I can definitely recommend is Hunte’s Gardens. This lush, tropical garden, with its towering royal palms and large variety of tropical plants, is […]
Clarke family have been several times. A truly wonderful place
Hi Zenaida, yes, isn’t it amazing! He’s quite a character and I absolutely enjoyed chatting with him. It’s such a lovely garden and a must-visit in my book if you’re in Barbados.
Cheers,
Keith
Wow! And all this Anthony Hunte created in just over 10 years! A visit to this garden has just been put on my bucket list – if and when we can travel freely again! Thanks for the post, Keith!
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