In the wake of one of the fiercest storms that our little area of paradise has seen in decades is the destruction, disfigurement and removal of many of our grandest and loveliest trees.  Obviously, a large fallen tree or tree limb can cause severe damage to structures, cars and people, and I hope that none of you, Quepolandians, or visitors to our area, experienced any of these misfortunes.

Today, one week after the storm, the sounds of chainsaws and falling trees still fill the air and we continue to see dramatic changes in our local landscape and forests due to the high winds (or whatever natural phenomena occurred that night) that is heartbreaking.  We humans, instinctively, do not miss something until it is gone, and I think that will be the case with some of our lost trees.  Some folks, however, may be rejoicing having gained instant, hassle (MINAE) – free opened vistas of the ocean or mountains, increased sunlight or resulting less debris and fallen leaves to deal with around your homes or hotels due to tree losses, but I believe the loss of their benefits to our environment, landscape and other native habitat is nothing to celebrate.  Their scattered absence for their welcomed shade, their inherent protection from the winds, their veils of privacy from neighbors, and the birds that perch upon and nest within their boughs while monkeys perform their acrobatic stunts along their routes of travel will eventually be realized.

Looking for the silver lining in this dark cloud, there are now areas that have been opened-up for the replacement of other sun-loving plant life, and/or the addition of more sustainable and/or desirable tree species.  Long time Manuel Antonio resident and tree advocate, Barry Biesanz, is generously assisting in this effort of tree replacement by offering  free, native trees to anyone who has the desire to replace tree losses on your own little piece of paradise.  Barry (who has a wealth of information on native trees) has grown numerous, native trees species in his nursery that are better adapted to our area, and therefore should give you their best “performance”.  Barry specifically grows species that are most desirable for attracting monkeys, birds and other wildlife. The species he is offering include:  Psidium guajava/ Guayaba/Guava;  Hymenaea courbaril/ Guapinol/Stinking toe; Mrycinthes spp. (no common name found but is a hardwood that is native to MA National Park and exhibits huge buttresses), and fruiting species of Ficus/Figs. For more info contact Barry at 2289-4337.

One handsome tree that we all love for its continuous display of  large orange flowers, Spathodea campanulata/Llama del Bosque/African Tulip Tree has, unfortunately, won the un-official  award for the least wind resistant tropical tree.  Researchers at the University of Florida have this tree on their list of  lowest wind resistance, and I can personally attest to this.  There were two, very large Llama del Bosques that uprooted and fell very close to my house, one, a mere 3 meters from my car.

Be cautioned that there are no trees that are completely wind resistant, but if you are considering replanting, the University of Florida researchers have also concluded that Palm trees, overall, exhibit more wind resistance than the woody, dicot species.  I can also attest to their findings that Roystonea elata/Royal Palm, ranks high in wind resistance.  I have three of these palms very close (1-3 meters) to my house, and while others trees were crashing down all around the night of the storm, these three remained proudly. and fully, intact.  The U of FL list also includes Veitchia merrill/Christmas Palm; Livistonia chinensis/Chinese Palm; Cocus nucifera/Coconut Palm as large palm species that have high wind resistance.  If you prefer to replant with woody trees, Bursera simarouba/Gumbo Limbo; Swietenia mahagoni/West Indian Mahogany and Enterolobium cyclocarpum/Guanacaste rank high on the U of FL list for wind resistant tropical trees.

Let this hair-raising episode of Mother Nature’s force also be a reminder and lesson to us all when determining the location of new trees and future building sites, but do not let it discourage us from continuing to add green to our world, or encourage us to fearfully and hastily remove healthy tree specimens.  If feasible, take stock of and assess the health of your properties’ trees, at least the ones closest to structures. Prune limbs that are overhanging  roofs or parking areas, or that add too much weight towards a downhill slope or structure or are dead and rotten. Proper pruning of a tree, whether in its formative years or even  in its more mature stages of growth, is wise and can save you from future headaches – literally.

We are, undoubtedly, at the mercy of Mother Nature and those of us who live here have chosen to do so amongst the abundance of the trees of the rainforest. Trees are here to serve us through their many beneficial purposes. They are our essential companions on this planet and it is our duty, as stewards of this earth and of are chosen location,  to care for them and replenish them when necessary. Imagine, if you can, an entire earth void of trees.  Not a pretty picture is it?   Not likely to happen in our lifetime, but we are here for only a minute portion of time. Please, replant for the future.  Your children, and future generations, will thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all of our fallen, majestic beauties (and even the little scrawny ones) and for all future trees, with this endearing poem about – trees.

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in Summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

Trees by Joyce Kilmer (1886 – 1918)

(Note: trees mentioned for planting are those that  I have either seen or have purchased in Costa Rica.  Seeds and/or approx 18” cuttings, can also be used for re-planting).

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private properties and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com,  2777-5149

While the flower has typically been the part of the plant that receives the most recognition, admiration and glory, I would like to take this opportunity to sing praise and pay homage to the precious and incredible… leaf.  Yes, those little products of nature that block gutters, disrupt pool pumps and cause unsightly messes around your homes.  Superficially, they appear to be such an oh-so-simple creation of nature, but, in reality, they perform highly complex chemical processes that serve a multitude of important and amazing functions.  A plant’s foliage conducts a variety of feats while coloring and cloaking a good percentage of our world a beautiful green, and to understand it, or to at least be aware of its complexities, is to truly appreciate it.  It may play second fiddle to the flower, but its significance to life on earth, alone, elevates it high above. Between its epidermal layers, intricate and essential processes occur.  Processes such as photosynthesis – a  natural phenomena that could be defined as something nearing… miraculous.

To refresh your memory (as briefly and as simply as possible) on this amazing plant process, photosynthesis occurs in the leaf of a plant in the chloroplasts which are filled with chlorophyll.  Chlorophyll is green pigments that absorb red and green light rays from the natural light spectrum. Utilizing this light energy, photosynthesis occurs.

Plant absorbs Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from the air (which is the by-product of human and animal respiration and the burning of fossil fuels) uptakes water (H20) from the soil, and transforms this, with the help of sunlight, into carbohydrates/sugars/ (C6H12O6) and oxygen (O2). These carbohydrates that are produced are stored within the plant and later utilized by the plant in another complex process called respiration.  These “carbs” are also used by other living organisms, especially humans and animals, when they consume plant products. The Oxygen (O2) that is also produced is released into the atmosphere and is the air that we breathe. This well known (simplified) formula that I am sure you learned in your elementary school science class or high school biology is

CO2 + H20 àsunlightà C6H12O6 + O2.  The inner layers of the leaf are not only the location on a plant where photosynthesis occurs, but also respiration and transpiration.

Plant foliage provides us human inhabitants of this earth with numerous benefits including shade from a scorching sun, edible and highly nutritious greens to eat, medicines for our ailments, organic matter to refurbish our soils, rustling music for our ears, pleasure for our eyes and filtered air to breathe.

Leaves have always fascinated me. One of my all time favorite crops to grow, sell, admire and to eat was loose-leaf lettuce.  I became very interested in growing lettuce after visiting a highly unusual greenhouse operation on Martha’s Vineyard back in the 80’s.  This greenhouse was rustic on the outside, yet state-of-the- art on the inside. A rainbow of lettuce varieties were grown in 4” PVC pipes filled with a special growing mix and suspended from the ceiling’s rafters.  This unique operation supplied many of the high-end restaurants in Boston, MA with lettuce – lettuce that was harvested and sold “by the leaf” (versus by the head) and was the key that made this a very profitable business venture.  The leaves were hand-picked, then thoroughly washed, inspected and neatly packed into beautiful rows in large shallow boxes. You  have never seen such a sight as a box packed-full and arranged with an array of colorful, edible lettuce leaves such as Oakleaf, Deer Tongue, Red Romaine, Bibb, Boston or Red Sails… to name a few.  It was all that was necessary to make any salad an award winning, picture-perfect gourmet creation.

Living and working in the tropics, I am now discovering a new and exciting plethora of ornamental leaves.  I have become quite enthralled with the extraordinary variety of shapes, colors, textures and especially the patterns of the tropical foliage.  Take Crotons/Crotos (in Spanish), Codiaeum variegatum, for example.  There are not many other plants on this planet (coleus would be close) that can rival the patterns, colors and forms of the foliage of a Croton.

It never ceases to amaze me along my plant buying excursions to find yet another variety of Croton, with even more bizarre and more outlandish variegation than the last.  My imagination conjures up images of a laboratory, with two wild-haired, plant-breeding scientists in white lab coats (under the influence of some mind-altering drug) developing these plants – one trying to outdo the other.  But, contrary to my imagination, these wild and crazy-looking plants are actually found in the wild, in other parts of the tropical world, and brought into cultivation.  These are called ‘cultivars’ (cultivated varieties).  Other Croton oddities that I have seen, especially on-line, are the result of human manipulation and called hybrids (cross-pollination of two desired parent plants). The Croton story, itself, is quite fascinating and warrants its own article in a future issue.

Yes, flowers have, historically, received all the fame and the romanticism throughout the ages while their counterparts, leaves, have served to sustain them and to frame them. Flowers do provide us with unmatched beauty, color and fragrances and a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables…..and I adore them as well. But, the simple leaf, unlike the flower, needs no sexual parts or connotations, to lure you in or perform its magic.  In fact, there are some plants whose foliage is so divinely spectacular that a flower, well….. it’s  a bonus prize.  Plants like Bromeliads, Marantas and Calatheas – these plants need no help being majestically handsome and alluring.

So stop, witness and delight in the exhibition of the phenomenal array of foliage that keeps us alive and colors our world.   Admire a new palm leaf making its grand opening, or the unfurling of a fern frond, or the swaying dance of tender banana leaves in the breeze, or the soft, velvety texture of a new-born cycad leaf or a smooth, leathery Tabacon, or fun-stripped bromeliads, or fanciful coleus, cordylines or philodendron. There are just too many beauties to list.  How easy and fun it is with our magnificent choices of leaves, especially here in the tropics, to create “leaf” arrangements that can stand alone and put on their own unique show.

A Fancy Foliage Garden at the future botanical  garden  will  showcase, admire and celebrate….. leaves.  This will be a garden within the garden that will  “leave”  you…breathless.

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com,  2777-5149

We would all like to think that because we live in this warm tropical paradise, where plant life exudes from even the tiniest crack or crevice, that it is “a piece of cake” to grow beautiful, healthy plants. In some respects that is absolutely correct; plants do grow rapidly and sometimes, it seems, with the greatest of ease. Just cut a limb from a tree or shrub and stick it in the ground (in the rainy season of course) and in weeks it will start to leaf out and grow. But, our tropical paradise is no exception when it comes to the manner at which unblemished fruits and vegetables are produced.

The field of Horticulture Science not only includes the cultivation and use of ornamental plants, but the cultivation of vegetable and fruit crops as well.  These crops that are grown for commercial purposes must be perfectly blemish-free in order to sell at most any market. Not many of us would buy tomatoes that have been partially devoured by voracious tomato hornworms, or broccoli that is teeming with cabbage looper larvae, or lettuce invaded with armies of miniscule aphids. No, most of us humans of this day and age prefer to eat our fruits and veggies, unblemished, and without these additional protein supplements.

A common misconception that I have heard from locals and visitors alike (and that even I gave some thought to myself  during my first visit to Cost Rica) is the belief that the picture –perfect fruits and veggies found in the markets here are pesticide-free, or in other words, organic. “Of course”, we rationalize to ourselves “things are more “natural” here.  They still use oxen and carts to harvest some crops, surely, they must use ground chili pepper, eye-of-the- toad and lime juice to combat insect and disease problems on their fruits and veggies”.  As much as I wanted to believe that they used a more organic system of growing commercial crops here, it just was not so, and of all people, I should have known better.  In fact, it was to the contrary.  Unfortunately, Costa Rica has not quite reached that level of education and understanding in the field of horticulture or agriculture…… yet.

In more-developed countries like the United States, which produces an abundance and a vast array of horticultural crops, the “organic” movement has been alive and growing for over 30 years.  Growing “organically” means cultivation without the use of pesticides, which includes insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, bactericides, miticides, rodenticides, and/or nematicides.  It also means that no chemical fertilizers were applied.  Natural Health Food stores offer an astonishing collection of organic products – all at astonishing prices.  Growing organic produce takes much more TLC – and more tender loving care equals more time, which equals more dollars.  Finding and applying tried and true organic methods and products that are cost and labor effective in combating the common vegetable and fruit pests is not an easy task that I can personally attest to.  It is so much easier to go to your local farm & garden supply store and buy that bottle of conventional, liquid chemical pesticide that you know, for a fact, will quickly kill the problem pest before any cosmetic damage is done.

My experience working with plant pesticides here in Costa Rica has been somewhat alarming.  Too many gardeners I have worked with here don’t “blink an eye” to using highly toxic pesticides, nor do they take any precautionary measures when applying.  My own hypothesis (educated guess) based on my knowledge, along with my experience in growing horticultural crops is that with the lack of pesticide education and regulations in CR that the fruits and veggies here are sprayed (more than we would like to know) and with less cautionary measures being taken for the spray applicators or, us, the consumers.  There are a few crops that can be grown successfully with little use of chemical pesticides. With most of your common fruits and veggies – tomatoes, cukes, peppers, melons, bananas, carrots, onions, potatoes, beans, broccoli, cabbage, etc.- insect and fungal invasions are inevitable, especially in a warm, frost-free climate that is so conducive to their reproduction and growth.

It is no secret, then, that organic gardening (in commercial operations) is not a common practice in Costa Rica.  Organics is certainly not a totally new concept, but it has not reached the level of commercial success as it has in places like the U.S.   The concept is here and “growing”, but as for now…wash (w/soap and warm water), scrub, triple rinse, vinegar-soak and peel those fruits and veggies to remove pesticide residue – that is, if pesticide residue is something that you would rather not consume.  My three years of work at a Horticultural Research Farm in the states during my university days was enough to open my eyes, and widely, to the use of chemicals on vegetable and fruit crops.

I have learned that there are five levels of pesticide toxicity classification in Cost Rica, whereas in the states there are three levels. In Costa Rica, pesticide toxicity levels are designated by a color band on the product label.  Green is least toxic (caution), blue is lightly toxic (warning) and yellow is moderately toxic (danger).  These are followed by two levels of red, which are both categorized as highly toxic with the latter being the highest toxicity.  Let’s hope this one is not used much on crops.

Perhaps in the next decade or so, stricter pesticide regulations, along with an IPM (Integrated Pest Management) system and organic growing will become much more prevalent in Costa Rica.   Once again, I see an opportunity for a botanical garden to serve to raise the level of awareness with gardeners and the public.  Until then, I will continue to share and spread information about safe and sensible use of pesticides, as well as the overuse of chemical fertilizers.  Practices such as making and using compost to improve soil and plant nutrient levels, mulching, correct plant spacing and proper watering and pruning techniques, all makes plants healthier and less susceptible to insect and disease attack. This is all part of the IPM (Integrated Pest Management) system , which is one of the most practical pest control  methods that I learned nearly thirty years ago and will continue to utilize and pass on to whomever will listen.

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com,  2777-5149

By Donna Porter

Summertime is upon us in the tropics and that means hotter temperatures and weeks and/or months void of the cooling, refreshing, life-giving rains.  To any gardener, be they home-gardener or professional, this can only mean one thing – water, water, water. Visitors who have spent time in Costa Rica in our rainy season, may find it hard to believe that watering is a necessity here, but the natural cycle of the rainforest does include a dry period for flower and seed formation of the natural vegetation. This is why the native vegetation/indigenous plants can withstand these dry times, moreso, than the imported, exotic species.

A plant’s roots serve two main functions.  They serve to anchor the plant and keep it upright and intact, and they serve to uptake valuable water and nutrients from the soil and deliver them to the upper portions of the plant. As always, there are some exceptions, as with epiphytes like orchids and bromeliads. The roots of these plants act mainly for anchoring and it is their leaves that serve to absorb moisture and nutrients from the air or other sources.

Yes, watering seems like such a menial task that anyone should be able to do, but watering correctly can save time, money, your plants and, of course, helps to conserve this precious natural resource that could one day become very scarce and unavailable.

Watering has always been one of my favorite work tasks. It has always brought me a sense of calm and satisfaction; an ingratiating feeling of being the provider of a source of life.  I will even go as far as claiming that watering plants is therapeutic to our mental and emotional well- being.  In most cases, watering gives instant results. You can see, right before your very eyes, the plant come back to life and transform from sagging and wilted to a strong and turgid form.

All too many times, I see gardeners watering (or I should say spraying the foliage and ground) with a water pistol attached to the hose-end and standing two or three meters away. This only serves to wet the foliage and moisten the soil.  I explain to the gardeners with whom I work that watering with a pistol is comparable to throwing a glass of water over the head of a thirsty person; it cools them momentarily, but it does nothing whatsoever to actually quench their thirst.

For locals that live here and have hired-gardeners watering for them (and gaining all the benefit) my first recommendation is to dispose of, hide, break, do whatever is necessary so that a water pistol is not used to water plants. The strong spray of a water pistol is great for cleaning the foliage by removing dust and insects, but  it does more harm than good by eroding the soil around the plant’s roots and therefore exposing them. The best, all-around garden tool that I have ever found is my own hands and fingers.  No fancy, store- bought gadgets can compare to the versatility of our own appendages; plus we never have to scramble around trying to figure out where we last left them.  Your very own fingers, and thumbs, are the best devices to use to control the type of spray, or the distance of the spray, coming out of a hose. You can create a hard stream, a long stream, a soft fan, a wide fan, a trickle, a flood or you can bend the hose and, walla, you stop the water altogether.  I have tried numerous, expensive watering devices and have always replaced them with….. my fingers. A long-handled water wand with a water-breaker similar to a shower head, though, is best for watering rows of potted plants because it gives the most uniform distribution, but for the typical outdoor garden, let your fingers do the magic.

Watering deeply, softly and less frequently is the best method of watering rather than brisk, shallow, frequent waterings.   Deep waterings encourage plant roots to grow deeper, following the moisture into the soil’s depths, while shallow watering encourage roots to stay more near the soil surface.  Plants with shallow root systems will dry out much quicker and will require more water, whereas plants that are watered deeper and have developed deeper root systems can go longer periods between waterings.  The first two years are most critical for good root establishment for newly-planted trees or shrubs, so be sure to take the time to thoroughly water these during dry periods.

Another important measure that I recommend to keep your garden or other valuable plants alive and flourishing during dry times is to make “saucers” around them.  My gardeners call them “platos” or “casas”, and these are particularly important on slopes. This is done by simply digging out the soil from behind the plant and adding it to the front area of the plant to create, more or less, an earthen dam or wall. The lower area in the back will serve to hold water near the plant, as will the earthen dam in the front, for a longer period and give the water more time to absorb into the root area rather than running-off down the hill.  This also works in gardens or around plants that are planted on level ground. Simply create a full “saucer/plato” around each plant. Fill the “saucer” to the brim with water and allow it to absorb and repeat this at least once.  If you spend the extra time to create saucers and water in this manner, you will save an enormous amount of water and your plants will be most appreciative.

Oscillating- type sprinklers (mariposas), indeed, are less work than hand watering, and I will admit, are fun to watch and provide an instant cooling sensation by means of evaporative cooling.  But, unfortunately, they are the least water conserving and least efficient method of watering.  These work best for lawns and smaller plants. The frequency of watering will depend on a few factors including your garden’s soil-type, sun exposure and wind exposure. Of course, plants in full sun will require more frequent waterings than those in shade, as will gardens with sandier soils.

And, don’t forget the mulch. Mulching around your plants prevents moisture evaporation from the soil and keeps soils cooler.  Composted leaves, manures or any mixture of organic matter (preferably composted) that you can find can be used for this.  In the US, home & garden supply stores offer an amazing (almost entertaining) array of mulching materials like bark chips, but, living in a place like Quepos, Costa Rica, one must learn to improvise.

So, unroll that hose, make use of those fingers and water, water, water. Get wet! Watch the birds! Marvel at the beauty around you and enjoy the task at hand. Your friends and family may wonder which anti-depressant you are taking, when in fact, you are only reaping the therapeutic benefits of watering the garden.

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com,  2777-5149

By Donna Porter

Creating and maintaining private gardens for individuals to enjoy has been a part of my life for the past 30 years, but creating public gardens has been my passion for the last 20.  A private garden can be enjoyed by perhaps a hundred or so people, while a public garden is available for the enjoyment and education of hundreds of thousands. Mixing and matching plants in a garden design to showcase (or show-off) their best features is such a pleasure to me and the resulting combination can be magnetizing in a landscape. This is the thrill that makes creating gardens so much fun.  But, the real reward for me is utilizing this skill in connecting people with  plants.

So what is a public garden and what is so special about them?  Well, I am so glad that you asked, and please, allow me to enlighten you.  Public gardens are places that are open to the public and whose plantings provide an educational and/or recreational resource that assist in the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and the enhancement of the natural  landscape. Public gardens encourage the people/plant connection.  In North America, public gardens are as diverse as the natural world itself and include botanical gardens, display gardens, therapeutic gardens, nature centers, sculpture gardens, arboreta, parks, college campuses, historic landscapes and believe it or not, even some cemeteries are considered public gardens.  It seems, though, that within this group, botanical gardens hold the most overall appeal.

Whether a person has ever stepped foot into a real botanical garden or not, just the mention of the term seems to conjure up in their imagination a vision of paradise; an idea, at least, of something beautiful or even whimsical.  Well, I am here to tell you that a botanical garden can be as intriguing and fanciful in their reality as they are by the essence of their name.

Technically, a botanical garden is a “living” museum, whose collections are plants.  Similar to any other museum with collections (be they original paintings, sculpture, cars, historical artifacts, sports memorabilia, etc), it serves to display and to preserve its collections for future generations to enjoy, to utilize and to hopefully benefit from.  In the case of a botanical garden it is the plant’s genetic material that is being preserved for future reproduction purposes.  For this reason, they are considered highly valuable scientific and environmental facilities.

The criteria that distinguishes a public garden as a ‘botanical garden’ is:  that the garden maintain records of its plant collections; that the collections are identified by labels and/or a mapping system; and that the garden serves as an educational resource. Education is a major focus of botanical gardens whether it is through structured workshops for children, teens or adults or through interpretive materials.  Botanical gardens serve to heighten the public’s appreciation and awareness of the plant world and of the vital importance of these companions of our earth.  They also serve in the area of horticultural advancement.  Modern botanical gardens can be as scientific and research oriented as their creators, or current administration, desire them to be; but having a scientific allegiance, to some degree, is the one criteria which sets apart a botanical garden from other types of public gardens.

My all-time favorite definition of a botanical garden is that “a botanical garden is a place where the arts and the sciences intersect”. Art and gardens go hand-in-hand like beans and rice, like the moon and the stars, like music and dance, and nothing enhances a garden to its utmost potential and gives it more pizzazz than the intermingling of creative pieces of art and clever, landscape architectural design.

Even though the majority of U.S. botanical gardens are operated under the auspices of 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations and rely heavily on private donations, membership contributions and grant funding, a commercial/for-profit garden can be as successful, given the correct circumstances. A garden’s gate admissions alone can generate a substantial portion of income and now, more so than ever, gardens are taking a more ingenious approach in generating income.  Today’s gardens have become highly innovative in their master planning, designing and programming.  They must strive to allure the non-typical visitor, the non-plant or garden enthusiast, through their garden gates.  What began centuries ago as storehouses where early plant explorers brought their exotic plant “discoveries” has evolved and flourished into more entertaining, more encompassing and more aesthetically captivating places that serve to fascinate, inspire, soothe and educate its visitors.

The true beneficiaries of a botanical garden are the surrounding, local community. To a community, a botanical garden is a shining gem that offers a wealth of opportunity.  It benefits a community in numerous ways including:  educationally, recreationally, economically, scientifically, culturally, environmentally, socially, aesthetically and even therapeutically.  It becomes a community center, buzzing with activity, radiating in beauty, abounding in knowledge and teeming with tranquility. It invites you in with an enticingly-landscaped entry, welcomes you with an embracing and friendly visitor center, beckons you with playful and mysterious pathways and charms you with its full splendor, beauty and intelligence.

The fact of the matter is that Botanical Gardens are NOT JUST “pretty places”.  They are an “experience” that is thoughtfully designed and created for the visitor’s greatest enjoyment and benefit.  Massed colorful plantings, theme gardens, private niches and plant collections are masterfully woven together by easily-navigable pathways that meander through a park-like setting interlaced with enchanting sculpture and architectural features such as archways, trellises, tunnels, fountains, pools, waterfalls, pavilions and benches.  Innovative design and management are key to capturing and engaging the audience, instilling them not only with a magnificent visual experience, but with a feeling of reverence; a special “sense” of place that will remain in the visitor’s registrar for years to come and keep them coming back.

Awaiting Quepos, its inhabitants and its visitors are awe-inspiring  plant displays; collections of heliconias, palms, gingers, crotons, marantas, orchids, bromeliads, tropical fruits, tropical flowering trees and shrubs; a Children’s Jungle Garden; a Reflection Garden; art exhibits; flower shows; concerts; classes and workshops; rare-plant sales; social get-togethers and a one-of-a-kind gift shop and a unique garden café all interspersed within 12-15 acres of fertile, level ground with glorious mountain vistas and, most importantly, within very close proximity (1-2 miles) of central Quepos.

The seed has been planted. An ideal site has been found. A concept design, proposal, business plan and budget for the development and operations of a commercial botanical garden in, and for Quepos are prepared, awaiting the arrival of an investor’s interest and funding; the nourishing rains necessary for this seed to germinate, grow and flourish – The “greening” of the garden. This is an investment invitation; an opportunity so rare and unique that it dares those of you who have vision and the resources to find a comparable opportunity that could parallel this in its potential “wealth” and abundance.  This is an invitation for the right person to make an attractive difference, while making an attractive profit; to do something that is dynamic, sustainable, meaningful and genuinely valuable to the area; to do something that will give them a true sense of purpose and immeasurable pride, satisfaction and joy.

All of the essential elements exist right here, right now, in Quepos, Costa Rica for this to be one of the most successful, and beneficial, future attractions and assets to the area. The ideal circumstances are here – the hundreds of thousands of annual visitors, a wide open market, the need, the desire, the experience, the enthusiasm, the perfect location and the ultimate growing climate.  Nothing can rival the charm, the elegance, the character and the inherent value of a botanical garden – a paradise (within paradise) with a grand purpose.

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpbgtd@yahoo.com,  2777-5149.

There is no other tropical plant that one associates more with the Tropics than the Palm. The sight of even the tiniest of  palm tree figures, places you on a wide open beach, with warm tropical breezes, waves crashing in, sipping pina coladas decorated with colorful mini umbrellas and a sprig of  pineapple leaf.  For those with little to no imagination, I suppose this popular symbol does nothing of the sort.

Even though we typically refer to these plants as “palm trees”, palms are not related to what we normally think of as a tree.  Palms are “monocots” and are more closely related to grasses (including corn), orchids, bromeliads and bananas than they are to trees such as oaks, fruit trees or pines, which are “dicots”.  One distinguishing factor is that dicots  produce woody tissue.  But, of course, just to be an odd ball in the taxanomic classification system, palms do indeed produce woody tissue. Other than that, all other characteristics place them in the monocot division similar to grasses.

Palms typically produce numerous small, yellow, lavender or white flowers, borne on long flowerstalks, but are not the main attraction of these tropical beauties as are their fine feather-like or grand fan-shaped leaves or trunks. The” fruit”, or in this case the more notable seed produced from the flower, is generally berry or nut like and ranges in size from tiny to gigantic.  The Coconut Palm, Coco nucifera, is a prime example of a Palm’s “nut” or seed. A species native to the Seychelles, Lodoicea maldivicia, produces nuts that weigh in at 45 pounds. These two-lobed seeds look like two joined coconuts and grow to a length of  20”.  Early European sailors who first sighted these huge, extraordinary seeds floating on the ocean’s surface, thought they were human buttocks, so, were of course relieved to discover what they truly were.

Palms have very shallow root systems, which makes them easy to transplant even at large sizes. For this reason also, they rely more heavily on surface water rather than moisture found within the depths of the soil.  Some species such as Socratea exhorrhiza develop above ground, aerial roots called “stilt roots” which aid in anchoring and stabilizing the plant. Interestingly enough, this species has been given the common English name of “The Walking Palm” (Cashapona in Spanish).  For as much that I would like to imagine that plants have evolved enough to “walk” themselves around, this name was given because in the case of a fallen tree, the stilt roots can re-develop to lift itself upright, and therefore may relocate the entire tree in a different spot, but still within its original growing radius.

Palms add texture, elevated form, grace and/or boldness to the landscape.  Contrary to popular belief, they can also add color to the landscape as do the Lipstick Palms/Talla Roja , Cyrtostachys renda, which seems to have obtained  notoriety equal to that of Hollywood stardom in the plant world. Bismarkia nobilis is another true gem that is quickly gaining popularity in CR due to its stunning silver-blue coloration.

Worldwide there are about 2,500 different species of Palm. They are indigenous to every continent except Antartica.  The majority of palm species used in our landscapes originate form Asia, Africa, Central and South America and Australia.  In Costa Rica there are an estimated 90 native species of natives.

Another Palm that will soon have its name in a star on  Hollywood Boulevard is Euterpe oleracea, which produces the highly acclaimed and sought after Acai seed/berry. This palm has been recently glorified and its “fruits”advertised abundantly for its antioxidant properties that are used for anti-aging, weight loss and anti-inflammatory purposes – to name a few. This “celebrity” palm has its origins in South America.

Unfortunately, for those of us who live here and dapple in growing plants and gardens, the limited selection of palm species that are available in the nurseries here in Costa Rica is frustrating.  I estimate that there are perhaps only about dozen species (of the 2,500) that are used, re-used and over-used in our landscapes.  But, I am here to tell you folks that “the times they are a changin”

This year, a local inhabitant of Manuel Antonio and huge palm enthusiast, Jeff Anderson, took action to form the Costa Rica Palm Society/Asociacion Costarricense de Palmeras.  Jeff is a member of the International Palm Society and his knowledge of Palms is quite impressive.  Jeff, like some other members of the CRPS, can rattle-off botanical names of palms as if they were their closest friends.  The group has incorporated as a  non-profit and had its 4^th meeting/outing  on October 31, at the 50-acre farm of CRPS member, Marco Herrero, who has nearly 150 species of mature palms. The two most impressive to me were Coccothrinax crinita, The Old Man Palm, which I swear, looks like the blonde version of Cousin It from the Adams Family, but with leaves.  Its entire trunk, from top to bottom, is cloaked in long, sof t hairs. You just can’t help but want to hug “It”.   The other awesome and unforgettable palm was Corypha umbraculifera which had fan-shaped leaves that were easily the size of a VW Beetle. Truly incredible

If you have even the slightest interest in Palms, would like to meet new and interesting people from all over the country and visit new places, then please check out our website (which will be on-line early in 2010 ) at www.costaricapalms.org and consider joining.  Regular Membership is $30/year and Corporate is $50/year.

The CRPS mission is: To utilize our “Passion for Palms” to heighten appreciation of palms in CR by serving as a resource for cultural information, by promoting the preservation of native species and by introducing both native and exotic species to the commercial trade and botanical gardens for greater public awareness, availability and usage.

There is no doubt in my mind that our future botanical garden here in Quepos will house one of the most magnificent collections of Palms that will be available for public viewing, education and enjoyment in all of Costa Rica.

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com,  2777-5149

Knowing the origins of a plant is not only fascinating information to obtain, but it also very helpful and useful in understanding how to cultivate it.  Plants are truly amazing.  They have managed to traverse the globe without the use of any movable appendages or abilities to navigate machinery (at least not that I am aware of). They also have managed to be discovered, uplifted and then transported, as far as half-way around the world by plant explorers of past and present centuries.

I am continuously amused at how many people think that the plants found in our local landscapes are “native” to Costa Rica. Their mouths drop open in awe when I tell them that at least 75%  (a conservative estimate) of the plants that you see in the gardens and landscapes are “exotics”, meaning that they have originated in other parts of the tropical world and have, one way or another, found their way here to Costa Rica. Some of the exotics that were introduced during times of new world explorations have “naturalized” in the forests and along roadsides, but are not, technically, considered native/indigenous species.

A native plant is a plant that existed in its location before the arrival of foreigners – the same as native or indigenous people. Scientists and plants men have researched and documented this information for centuries. All plants are “native” somewhere, unless, they are hybrids or grafts which are created by the intervention of man.  Hybrids are hand-pollinated crosses between two parent plants, which results in seeds that produce plants with characteristics of both parent plants.  These “crosses” are usually performed in greenhouses or other areas with controlled conditions.  Grafted plants are plants produced by splicing and interconnecting a stem (called the scion), or even just one mere bud, to another desirable plant’s roots (called the rootstock).  Many fruit tree varieties (apples, citrus, cherries, peaches, avocados) are produced in this manner, and again, result in a tree with the desired characteristics of both parts.

A weed is defined as “a plant that is growing where it is not wanted and can potentially overgrow desirable plants”.  In their place of origin, many beautiful garden plants that we consider desirable, pay good money for at the nurseries and use in our landscapes can therefore be considered weeds.  Interestingly enough, this is what we call our native plants as well. As the saying goes, “what’s one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, is true with plants also.  What our local gardeners consider weeds and call “monte” are more than likely a native plant.  Many local gardeners chop these down without thinking twice.  Can you imagine living in a part of the world where you are chopping down and removing the colorful Crotons (Codiaeum variegatum) because there are just too many of them growing wild on your property?

I encourage maintaining or re-introducing native plants in your garden or landscape, in combination with your exotics.  The problem is that very few nurseries (if any) offer them for sale. I discourage total removal of plants from the forest.  It is hard to imagine, but this is how, over time, extinction occurs.  Either remove off-shoots or take cuttings. Always leave behind some growing part of the plant intact.

Being a Horticulturist and a garden designer, I simply adore the wide variety that the exotic plants bring to my palette for use in designing. I also understand and appreciate the grand importance that the native plants play in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem and the problems that can arise when exotics become invasive. Exotics can become invasive when the growing conditions to which they have been introduced, are more optimal for growth than where they originated from.

Maintaining a balance of the area’s native flora in the landscape is important because the native fauna (insects, animals, reptiles) are accustom to sustaining themselves more on the native flora   The native flora is also more adapted to this climate and therefore requires less water to maintain. A few of the popular natives (for this region of CR) are:  Heliconia latispatha (which can be prolific), Helconia wagneriana – both called Platanillo in Spanish, Calathea lutea/Bijagua, Aphelandra scabra/Pavon, Brassavola nodosa/Huelenoche – an orchid and Muntingia calabra/Capulin -a great tree for attracting birds.

Among the most troublesome invasive, exotic plants in our area is Thunbergia grandiflora/Jalapa Azul, which has origins in India. If you know this plant/vine you will agree that it has quite lovely blue flowers and will cover a fence or wall rapidly.  If planted in an area near the forest, it can become a problem by growing and smothering out neighboring plants. What you can do is take the machete to it and keep it out of the forest, trying your best to confine it to your landscape or garden or remove it altogether and replace it with another flowering vine.

A good example of using the origins of a plant as a guide for its cultivation is with the culinary herbs. I have been asked numerous times why it is difficult to grow herbs here.  The reason for this is that most of our popular cooking herbs (parsley, thyme, rosemary, mint, oregano, sage, basil) come from the Mediterranean area of the world, which has a dry, arid climate and poor soils.  With this knowledge, you will realize that you will have more success by growing them in a dry and sunny spot and in soil that is not overly-fertile.  High humidity persists here year-round, so you will be more successful growing them in our drier, summer months.

My grandest desire, dream and goal is to build a botanical garden here in Quepos that would benefit the area in numerous ways. It can be utilized for testing new plant arrivals to reveal if these exotics “behave” themselves in this climate before they are released to the nursery trade for propagation and sale.  I also see this garden as a great opportunity to introduce many of our beautiful, local native plants, to the local inhabitants, by designing a Native Plants garden and propagating and selling these in our garden gift shop. A short course on container growing and utilizing the culinary herbs would be fun too..

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years.  She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com,  2777-5149.

Pruning a plant has been defined as a cross between an art and a science. Understanding the physiological aspects of the plant makes it the science while having an eye for balance and a sense of design and beauty makes it the art.

Ok, so I can already hear you locals laughing at this. Pruning here is simply a cross between the machete or chainsaw and the plant. Both shrubs and trees benefit greatly from pruning – proper pruning that is – but for ease of explanation this article will focus on trees. If you have a tree(s) that you desire to keep in your landscape then some basic knowledge on this subject may be helpful to you. If possible, conveying this knowledge to your gardener would be the most advantageous, since they are in charge of the machete. Knowing a few simple facts, and applying them, will result in healthier, longer lasting trees in your landscape or garden and less damage to your property by falling tree limbs.

Properly pruning a tree, especially when young, is a smart thing to do. Obviously, these are its “formative” years, and what happens in this stage of its development will determine its mature shape. Wise placement of plants and trees when planting is even smarter and reduces maintenance needs, including pruning. In other words, think futuristically, before you plant.

There are many reasons why to prune, but controlling or decreasing the size of the plant is probably the most common. Proper pruning also reduces the risk of insect and disease problems (rots), eliminates dead wood (AND ants), shapes and balances the plant, makes for easier grounds maintenance, increases flower and fruit production (if so desired), and prevents hazards. Correct pruning not only can prolong the life of the tree, but it is equal to giving it a “shot” of fertilizer. Removal of a portion of the above ground vegetative growth, while maintaining the same amount of roots, reduces the top growth : root ratio and this is desirable. There is then a greater amount of nutrients and water being delivered to less amount of top growth plus there are more roots anchoring a lighter (in weight) above ground portion. Incorrect pruning can be more detrimental to the health and the longevity of the tree and to the safety of what lies below or around it.

Here in Manuel Antonio/Quepos trees grow quickly and within no time at all can obstruct what was once a clear vista. If that is your case, you live here in Costa Rica and the tree is on your property, you are faced with a challenge of how to best deal with that. Being that professional tree pruning services or Arborists are basically non-existent here, you will more than likely have received recommendations by friends of men that they have hired to perform such “acrobatic stunts”. I must admit, I have been truly amazed and awed to witness how this is done here. To watch this strengthens my belief in evolution; that man did indeed descend from apes. A man with a chainsaw/machete, rope and perhaps another helper will arrive (no ladder is necessary) to shimmy up the tree trunk, sometimes barefoot or wearing shorts, and proceed to “top/butcher” the tree. No doubt they will be removing whatever they can, as easily and as quickly as they can, without giving one iota of thought about the health or form of the tree. With the lack of alternatives you have little choice but to use these primitive and daring services.

With a little knowledge on this subject, you can offer a little salvation to the tree with your two cents worth of assistance. First, it is recommended, if possible, to wait until our summer months, when trees tend to drop some of their leaves. This is helpful for a better examination of the tree’s interior structure and branching. Then, step way back to get a full view of the entire form of the tree. If you see sizeable branches that are obviously jetting high above, or outside of, the rest of the upper canopy, suggest the removal of that entire branch (if it does not totally disfigure the tree) all the way to the main trunk or a secondary branch. Cuts made in the middle of a large limb will produce a flush of undesirable growth from undesirable places. With too many of these types of cuts you will create what I refer to as the “lollipopped” look. This not only looks ridiculous, but it creates denser growth and inhibits good air circulation within the canopy, which is the cause of fungal diseases, which causes rotting.

Also, try to insist (at least give it your best shot) on “clean” cuts. One of my gardeners was determined to demonstrate to me how he can, with a very sharp machete, make a one or two-swipe “clean” cut on limbs 2-3 inches in diameter. Although he was successful on a few cuts, I was still not totally convinced – you still cannot get consistently close cuts as you can with a saw. A small pruning saw (the folding-type Japanese saws are the best or at least a slightly arched saw), can get into more tight places and does not require as much room for use as a machete. Machete cuts require room for the “swing”. Rough, chopped, jagged pruning cuts do not heal correctly (if at all) and therefore allow insects and diseases to enter into the inner wood of the tree. My biggest pruning pet peeve is “stubs”. Do not leave “stubs”. When removing a branch, no matter what size, always cut it as close as possible its point of attachment to the tree, without cutting into the bark at its point of attachment.

Nothing makes me quiver and shiver more than to see a lovely specimen of a tree, in an open location, providing shade, greenery and beauty, swaying in the breeze, minding its own business and not encroaching on any structure, utilities or view, being uselessly massacred, especially with a machete. Once upon a time, there were two beautiful and majestic Ficus benjaminas in a very public spot in Quepos, proudly reaching ten meters or so in height. These trees were so horribly mutilated that I was tempted to get a chainsaw, myself, and cut the poor trees down to the ground to save them (the trees) the embarrassment of living the rest of their days as mangled and stunted freaks of nature (lollipop trees) and to die the inevitable death that would result from this horrendous, so called pruning. This happened about a year ago, and one of the “lollipops” has since died.

I know that we cannot control the way that things are done here in our “adopted” culture. But, possibly, by setting good examples and politely and humbly sharing our knowledge to whomever appropriately can utilize it, we can heighten awareness on certain subjects that perhaps, in time, will change. This probably applies to numerous other subjects and issues in our adopted culture, more important than pruning. But perhaps, by sharing knowledge, we can make a difference in the long run.

Donna is a Horticulturist and has been living and working in Manuel Antonio for 6 years. She consults, designs, installs and maintains gardens for private homes and hotels and also develops botanical trails. Donna is the founder and first Director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and is pursuing the development of a botanical garden in, and for, the Quepos area. dpdreamer@yahoo.com