Garden and Food books by Gayla Trail

David’s Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata)

In August 1979 a massive hurricane hit the small island of Dominica, devastating just about everything in its path including homes, roads, crops, trees, and even leaving mountaintops bare. Amazingly, in the wake of all of that destruction, the hurricane left behind a new plant, Spathoglottis plicata, an Asian ground orchid that can now be

Standing in the Shadow of a Massive Euphorbia

Can you believe the size of this thing? Me neither. I have not seen a euphorbia of this size before or since. This photo was taken at the Andromeda Botanic Gardens in Bathsheba, Barbados. Euphorbia make up a very large and diverse genus of plants, but because of the size I believe this plant may

A Swell Fencing and Privacy Screen Idea

While in St. Lucia I was given a tour of Jade Mountain eco resort. I’ll save the interesting gardening and botanical design features for another day; however, take a look at this simple, yet elegant fencing or privacy screen idea. We found this in the parking lot of all places. When you’re the #1 resort

Stevie, Not Wonder

My epic trip has come to an end and I’ve been back in the freezing north for a few days. Brrr…. It’s time now to begin processing the experience for myself as well as find a way to express on this site some of what I have learned and experienced. Boy did I learn a

Nipple Fruit (Solanum mammosum)

Yesterday afternoon I was treated to an impromptu flower garden tour in the mountain village of Giraudel, Dominica. This region is known for it’s particularly rich soil and has, as a result, become a hub of flower growers and gardeners. I learned a few interesting tidbits that I hope to share here on a later

Wild Eggplant (Solanum torvum)

Dominica is often referred to as The Garden of Eden, which comes as no surprise since it seems that just about anything will grow here. No matter where I am on the island, whether it be on the coast or in the mountain rain forest interior, I often see wild foods growing. I found this

Giant Poinsettia

I love poinsettias here in the tropics. They’re so gangling and colourful. And the best part is that those holiday gift plants that typically go to pot in North America can be planted out in the garden and grown into a massive bush. View a few more photos: 1, 2. Learn how you can save