The island of Barbados is known
for its British traditions, tropical scenery and beautiful gardens. Situated on
the island's serene west coast, Fairmont Royal Pavilion reflects these same
traits in service, landscape design, and elaborate, colourful gardens.
The renowned landscape
architect Fernando Tabora designed the gardens. Tabora landscaped the
properties by blending natural tropical beauty with Mediterranean style
architecture. Much of the greenery and tropical buds offer shading, creating a
feeling of privacy among the intimate courtyards, water features and larger
public areas, many of which overlook the Caribbean Sea.
Fairmont Royal Pavilion
features open-air atriums and pathways that are covered in Petrea Volubilas, a
vine bearing purple and white flower. Leading off the open pathways are the
ocean-facing guestrooms on one side, and secluded gardens on the other where
guests can escape to enjoy tropical breezes and the scent of tropical flowers.
The estate’s entire flora is
native to the region. Among the diverse greenery are more than 100 coconut
trees; over 50 palm trees including Golden, McArthur and Sago; mango,
breadfruit, cherry and banana trees; multi-coloured Frangipani trees; and
numerous flowering plants.
Many of the trees and flowers
have become rare specimens and offer interesting tales. When the Portuguese
explorer, Pedro a Campos, charted the island in the 17th century, it was
uninhabited. As the sailor took in the lush tropical surroundings, he spotted
figs trees with clumps of bushy roots that resembled beards hanging from
branches. From that came the name Barbados, which in Portuguese means “the
bearded ones”.
Another interesting tree is the
Traveller Palm whose leaves hold water. For centuries, thirsty adventurers have
broken off the leaves to drink. The Bird Claw, another Bajan native, is a vine
that wraps itself around the trunk of trees and creeps its way to the top. It
only flowers once a year in June producing a profusion of beautiful yellow
flowers that cover the length of the vine and the entire tree trunk.
For guests who want to learn more about the gardens at The
Fairmont Royal Pavilion, botanical tours are conducted every Wednesday from
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. by one of the garden supervisors.