Serendipity

Coconuts Used To Edge Walk Sprouting

Sometimes I feel like I have been working at the top of the world, never growing complacent, always taking time to glance down in the harbor trying to memorize the sea,  listening to the frogs and birds,  fascinated by the clouds from gauze like wisps to racing thunderheads, I inhale the sites and sounds that are Ladera and try to imprint them forever in my brain.  I am so lucky to return here to ply my trade, given the opportunity to style and refine what is already a brilliant display of color and form.

White Begonia Named "Bread & Cheese"

Certainly Ladera and St. Lucia are a photographers dream and I was seldom without my camera, looking all the tourist as I hung out past the safety of the railing to snap a picture or cajoled a worker into standing still long enough for me to capture their image.  Each trip I have made to this romantic paradise has taught me lessons in life, landscaping, the human spirit.

Sexy Pink Heliconia

Pink Hibiscus

 The environment at Ladera is a complete 360 from my Midwest roots and intimate little landscape company.  There are well over 120 workers at the resort and landscaping is one of the minor elements of the hotel business.  In addition Ladera is not like other hotels or resorts it is more self contained whether it is building furniture in the wood shop, fabricating slip covers  in the sewing center or mixing yards and yards of cement by hand this is not your run of the mill resort.

Last Day With Landscaping Crew From Left Ray, Kerran, Me, Bartholomew, Darius

Walking the grounds each morning I am greeted by workers with smiles and wishes for a good day.  I am complemented on my hard work even the  simple pruning of a plant.  We work at separate tasks for a common goal, with pride and a sense of accomplishment of being a small piece in the big wheel of a world famous five star resort.

Landscape Crew Trading Seeds Like Baseball Cards

New Planting Around Sign At Road