The dry season in Trinidad is a time of brilliant light. It is a period when the fierce equatorial sun bleaches the sky to a pale, shimmering blue and one can smell the hot earth. It is during this time, in the lush residential enclave of Glencoe, that a particular hilltop garden reaches its zenith, becoming a paradise of colour, sound, and breathtaking panorama. Such is the beautiful garden of Louanna Ferreira-Patterson. The venue for the March 2026 meeting of The Garden Club of Trinidad.

The garden, mostly in containers, stretches along one side of the property and encircles much of the house on the other. To enter is to be enveloped by a tapestry of varying textures, colours and shapes of scores of bromeliads, the garden’s true jewels. With the arrival of the dry season’s reduced rainfall and lower humidity, these epiphytes and terrestrial plants seem to put on their most spectacular display . They erupt in a spectrum of impossible shades—fiery reds and oranges, delicate pastel pinks, and deep, royal purples. Their stiff, arching leaves form elegant water-catching urns creating tiny, self-contained ecosystems. Happy homes for tree frogs and pesky mosquitoes too.

Interspersed among the bromeliads are other stunning specimen plants such as variegated Musa (banana), beautiful palms and fern leaf trees, all in large containers. Almost hidden away along the side are two chandeliers, both repurposed as plant stands for Tillansdsias, with a most spectacular and eye-catching result. On the ground too were colorfully embellished paving stones, each with a different tropical leaf or flower, adding ever more charm to this tropical masterpiece.

The dry air is never silent for long. The garden’s resident guardians, four blue-and-yellow macaws, announce their presence with raucous, vibrant calls. Their feathers, a startling splash of the sky and the sun mirror the brilliant hues of the bromeliads below. Their calls echo across the valley, a soundtrack that is quintessentially tropical. From this elevation, the view is nothing short of majestic. To the east and south the panorama sweeps over the rooftops of Port of Spain and her environs, as well as the vast, glittering expanse of the Gulf of Paria. The dry season air, stripped of the heavy moisture of the wet months, provides a clarity that brings the coastline into sharp relief.

In that moment, standing amidst the architectural wonder of the bromeliads one understands that this garden in Glencoe is a place where the dramatic flair of the tropics, its vibrant life, and its serene, sweeping beauty are distilled into a single, unforgettable experience.

The meeting too was interesting with facts about bougainvillea and its many cultivars passed on to us by our vice-president, Anna Daniel. The show bench of cut flowers boasted some stunning specimens presented for judging.

A heartfelt thanks to Louanna for being such a willing and gracious hostess. Until the next time remember that dirty hands and dirty knees bring forth wonderful results such as these. Happy gardening!