Right away, you can tell that two avid gardeners live here.
These gloves don’t stay idle for long.
Gail and Sam have lived in their home in a city east of Toronto for 25 years.
Theirs is a mature, complex garden that is tended conscientiously every day. It has trees, vines, ponds, statuary, gazebos, and plants that grow in the ground and in a multitude of containers.
Of course, a gardener’s work is never done. If you’re a gardener, you’ll relate to this moment:
The camera comes out and Gail spies a weed — way, way at the back of the garden.
“Wait!” she says. “Let me remove that weed!” As she pulls one, she finds one more. And one more.
A Canadian who was born and raised in Jamaica, Gail has fond memories of the island.
This garden helps her to keep connected to it.
“We come out here and we’re in Jamaica!” says Gail.
The garden is also a tribute to her mother, who died several years ago.
Gail is a passionate gardener. Luckily, her husband Sam, of Italian-Canadian background, also loves gardening — and Jamaica.
To see them in the garden is to see a team that works well together.
He does the building and hardscaping (paths, gazebos, trellises, stone walls, ponds, decking, etc.) while she chooses and takes care of the plants.
To no-one’s surprise, there’s a banana tree, rescued when the friend who had it was having trouble caring for it.
It’s among umpteen tropical plants growing in containers spread throughout the garden.
Most of them would be quite at home in a Jamaican garden.
There’s even an old copper gallon-jug which was originally used to measure rum at the Appleton estate in Jamaica. It belonged to her father, and, thrilled with the historical significance of the jug, Gail was very pleased when her dad gave it to her for her garden in Canada.
Gail’s an active volunteer in Canada’s Jamaican-Canadian community. She was a member of the Toronto committee celebrating Jamaica’s 50th anniversary in 2012 with a variety of cultural events, including concerts, author readings, an art show and other activities. That project is over, but when Gail wants to feel a connection to Jamaica, all she has to do is to step into her garden.
Thanks, Gail and Sam, for allowing me to visit with you in your beautiful garden.
Cynthia Reyes 
What a beautiful garden! 🙂
It sure is, Michael. What grows in your area? Sub-tropicals?
good afternoon Cynthia, Playing catch up on my emails and post. We are in the northern most upstate of South Carolina living on top of a mountain that is very near the border of North Carolina. Our elevation is 3300 ft., we are in zone 6, so we do get the very cold temperatures, a lot of ice and snow.
Since last Wednesday evening we have had 3.5 inches of rain and it is still raining on and off today, suppose to stop tomorrow evening. I have you have a great weekend! 🙂
Yikes. I was hoping you’d say it’s cool, but not very cold! a lot of ice and snow! You may as well be in Ontario.
It is a very beautiful garden with a lot of depth to it with all of the structures. Thanks for sharing Cynthia!!
Thanks, Levi. It’s such a peaceful, comfortable place.
It is as shown so well by you in the photos. Have a great day Cynthia. 😀
Thanks, Levi, and same to you.
What a delightful garden…with a banana tree! Wow! Where does it live in the winter time?
It lives inside the house during the winter, Gallivanta.
Where it can continue to remind Gail and Sam of Jamaica. 🙂
Your friends’ garden is beautiful. Many of the plants are familiar as they can grow in my zone. I have the same question…do they have a greenhouse to winter-over the tropicals?
Not a green house, but the rooms in the house are bright, so they come through the winter in good shape. I’ll ask Gail to reply to your question later today.
Cynthia, Yes indeed a gardener’s work is never done!
Also must comment on how award-worthy your pictures are – lovely play of sun and shadow.
No kidding…. umm… really?
Did I pay you to say that – knowing me, I might have forgotten… haha…
OK –
I actually took almost all of those pix. My favorite is the one of the tree reflected in the pond.
Wow. What a beautiful garden. Gail and Sam clearly have a passion and talent for gardening. It looks very lush, inviting and tropical. Thanks for sharing its beauty with us Cynthia. I bet that was a fun visit. 🙂
It really was, Brad. I like to walk, stop, walk, sit.
Gail and Sam’s garden was perfect for this, with many places to stroll and sit without getting tired. And the two of them are such calming people with a quick laugh that I felt right at home.
Sounds wonderful. 🙂
I love the idea that a garden can connect one to memories – both to a past home and to her mother. A beautifully lush garden, I liked the gazebo/pergola and particularly the pond with its reflective qualities.
Me too. These two people are gifted at design, both inside the house and outside in the gardens. Their front garden is also a sight to behold, but that in itself would require a whole separate story!
Memories: you’re so right. I really like the way the garden connects Gail to memories of her mother, as well as her homeland.
Thank you for your wonderful visit Cynthia and especially for presenting the garden so beautifully! Sometimes it’s hard to see past the work involved. In answer to the question about where does the banana tree live in the winter – in our insulated garage along with many of the taros and cannas!
Okay! Good to know. Do they “go to sleep” in the winter, or do they thrive inside the garage during winter?
They go for a well-deserved sleep and I “wake” them up in the late spring.
Do you use an alarm clock or (being a Jamaican garden) do you use a rooster?
OK, seriously now: how do you wake them up?
I like this post of yours; written in a relaxed style that suits the gorgeous garden. I have a plant question: what is the variegated leaf plant in the (I think) 14th photo? Large arrow shaped leaves of light and dark green in the large woven pot. I like this one very much.
I think that’s a member of the Taro family, but I’ll let Gail reply.
Glad you like the story, Clare. I always look forward to your comments (and your own blogs TOO!)
Well you’re very welcome and thank-you too. I will look up Taro and will look forward to hearing from Gail.
She just replied. thanks for asking, as I learned something too.
You are correct Cynthia, the plant Claire asked about is the Colocasia ‘mojito.’ I love taros for their unusually variegated leaves and grow several varieties each year. Once the frost comes I trim off the leaves (or say I will and most times never get to it) and stash the pots in the garage. In the late spring once danger of frost is gone we haul them outside in a spot that gets morning sun and water until I see new leaves spouting – most times they are already anxious to get outside and will have been “waking” up on their own!
Thanks, Gail, for this!
By the way, Gail: Your Taro plant is really called a Mojito? My goodness.
Thank-you Gail. I’m so grateful for the information. Your garden is lovely!
Am I the only one noticing that Gail’s plant is named for an alcoholic beverage?
What a lovely garden Cynthia, team work obviously at its best here.
Sure thing, Julie. It really helps to share the work with someone else who loves gardening too.
That’s a beautiful garden. I wonder if they winter in Jamaica. I sure would!
Now, there’s a thought. I would too!
How lucky you are to have all of these friends with beautiful gardens, home renovations, and other fun stuff going on! The photos are great, the greenery lovely, and the words perfect. I loved this!
Thank you. I’m living vicariously – through relatives, friends and acquaintances who are leading such interesting lives.
Wow…that is truly an inspirational garden!! I love that jug also. So unique!!
Ditto. And ditto again!
What a wonderful virtual world we live in!Thank you everyone for your kind words and thank you Cynthia for thinking our very small piece of serenity was worth sharing and for presenting it so beautifully both in words and pictures.
That looks so cool.
Amen to that.
That is a peaceful and beautiful garden. ❤
So true. You feel the peace the moment you enter it.
What a beautiful garden, thanks to you all for sharing it – Lovely!
Reblogged this on Cynthia Reyes.
Thank you again for yet another beautiful garden. With winter a distant memory I can take all of this for granted. I will have to come back to this when the North winds blow again.
What a beautiful garden .. tended with much love.
Lush and lovely and blessed with a touch of the tropics. The gardener here at the marina creates lovely containers full of flowers each year. This year I complimented him on their beauty.
“What about the banana trees?” he asked.
I laughed. “They remind me of home,” I said. Home. It just slipped out. How strong our connections to the places and plants of our (now faraway) youth!
Thank you for another reminder of that connection.
Margaret, I understand completely. As you know, I write extensively about ‘home’ in its various forms and states. What seems to be always fixed and singular can indeed be plural and changing. But always, there seems to be a ‘home feeling’ that is unmistakable. For me, that feeling is so deep in my belly, that when a reminder comes along, I don’t know whether to cry or laugh from the wonder and memory of it.
WOW!!! What a beautiful property and great way to stay connected to her roots. Love the water garden!
Beautiful garden!
Great to share this pastime together, and it looks like they’re making a good job of it! Love that copper jug and the memories that will go with 🙂
An exquisite work or art! I love your comment about Gail’s need to pull a weed before you take a photo — and then the never ending others she discovers 🙂