The Deshaies Botanical Garden sits high up on a hillside overlooking Deshaies.  We read that a free ride can be arranged to and from the garden, however when I phoned ahead to inquire about a ride and whether Duhkxy would be admitted, we were told no dogs were allowed and asked if we were looking for a taxi.  Our conversation was compromised due to our mutual shortcomings in speaking each other’s language, so we decided to walk and took along Duhkxy’s airplane carrier.

It was a steep climb to the garden, but afforded a welcome opportunity to see more of Deshaies beyond its waterfront.  In one yard, two fishing traps helped answer our questions of what was tethered below the many small floats we dodged in waters 50 to 100 feet in depth.  The floats marking underwater traps are often no more than a soda bottle – despite our best efforts we have lost two planers and several lures when trolling – always a heartbreak for their value and our unintentional contribution to the many man-made hazards to sea life in our oceans.  We hope they are retrieved by the fishermen and find their way to useful use or proper disposal.

  

The Deshaies Botanical Garden was opened to the public in 2001.  The extraordinary beauty of the botanical garden designed by Michel Gaillard, is complemented by an infrastructure of mature indigenous and exotic trees established much earlier by previous owners of the land, Guy Blandin (until 1979), Michael Calucci (until 1986).

Upon arrival, we were told Duhkxy could not enter the botanical garden, but could remain on leash in the reception area.  We were uncertain that this would be possible as Duhkxy had routinely responded with ear-shattering and relentless yips, and hysteria whenever either George or I moved beyond 10 feet of him.  Much to our surprise, he remained calm as we handed him over to the woman at the reception area and remained so.  We found him fast asleep when we finished our tour.

The gardens include winding paths of beautiful flower beds, water gardens, tropical birds, trees, frogs, lizards and bees….  Ending this post with pictures worth many, many, thousands of words.