The boardwalk, gardens, makers and treated wastewater described on the Bay Gardens tour

A garden where you can sit without buying anything. That was how the property manager introduced Bay Gardens in Hodges Bay, Antigua, as we started walking.

Who can visit Bay Gardens in Antigua?

Bay Gardens welcomed visitors who came to enjoy the gardens without shopping. Antigua House of Chocolate’s current website locates its chocolate experience at Bay Gardens.

Do you have to buy something to enjoy Bay Gardens?

So Bay Gardens really is what we call a Caribbean mall. But we consider it as well a community center.

So all are welcome. There’s no need just to come in and purchase.

It’s not driven that way. You can come in and take pictures.

A lot of youngsters come to do their Instagram pictures. The gardens are very important for us, so we have a crew that just looks after the gardens.

Who did the Bay Gardens property manager want to welcome?

And so everyone comes here. Tourists, locals, everyone comes here.

When people ask me what the demographic is, I say everybody. And we’re so happy to see that every part of society comes and visits and enjoys Bay Gardens.

That’s the thing. We want people to come here when we see people having a good time.

All we ask is that you respect the place.

Why did Bay Gardens build a boardwalk and a wellness deck?

The Bay Gardens boardwalk provided another entrance beside the road. The wellness deck offered space for classes during the tour, beside the Bay Gardens chocolate experience.

What road problem did the Bay Gardens boardwalk address?

Absolutely. We really do view it as a community center.

We actually built this boardwalk, which runs adjacent to the main road here on the left, because this is quite a dangerous corner, and we had a lot of people walking from hotels in Hodges Bay and it’s not safe. So we made a back entrance for them.

Ask where to enter when you arrive; the boardwalk was the alternative she pointed out during the tour.

What did the Bay Gardens wellness deck offer during the tour?

So this is the wellness space in Bay Gardens. Right now there are two instructors who do Pilates and yoga here, and we also will use it for a child’s birthday.

There’s a model agency that does their Friday evening training here as well, but it’s a space where people can come and sit and relax.

It’s the coolest part. And we’re just across the road from the ocean as well.

So we have that nice north east trade wind that comes in here. And we have residents all around us.

So this is another thing that’s important.

Check the current instructor and class arrangements before making a trip for yoga or Pilates.

How did Peter describe the garden at Bay Gardens?

Peter described growing the Bay Gardens landscape and preserving its trees. His chocolate making work occupies the same property.

How did Peter grow the Bay Gardens palms?

I fell in love with the nature of the greenery. And when you see all the plants and everything that we’ve done here in the last eight years, it is basically based on that philosophy where I wanted to create myself a little Dominica in Antigua, because I take pride to say that all the palm trees, everything that you see here in our landscape, I grew them from seeds in the last 35 years myself.

What did the Bay Gardens tour say about the iguanas?

They’re probably around seven on property and we preserve that. So we’re preserving the nature and adding to it in here as well.

We have a lot of iguanas in here now as well. We try to be good hosts for the iguanas.

So we love to have them in the trees. And Peter is actually threatening to build a little place for them to hang out because he cares about the iguanas.

The count refers to the mahogany trees she had just pointed out. A separate iguana space was still an idea in the interview.

How did Bay Gardens use its treated wastewater?

Bay Gardens used treated wastewater to irrigate plants during the tour. Hydro Action’s treatment unit documentation describes aeration and a clarification compartment.

What did the Bay Gardens property manager say the water was used for?

That’s the hydro action system, which is what gives us clean water from the sewage. And we then use that water to irrigate the plants.

So trying to make it as sustainable as possible.

How does the Hydro Action wastewater treatment unit work?

The Hydro Action treatment unit uses aeration and clarification to treat wastewater. Its instructions also describe disinfection when the treated effluent is distributed above ground. Here, the property manager was showing us water used for the plants.

What local products did the Bay Gardens tour show?

Local Shop stocked products made by people based in Antigua. Antilles Stillhouse’s own account identifies David Murphy as its distiller and Sonu Murphy as the person responsible for branding and sales.

How many makers were stocking Local Shop during the Bay Gardens tour?

We seem to have about 35 locals who produce and stock their stuff in here, and they work on a commission basis.

Around 35 was the tour’s count, not a current inventory.

Where were the Antilles spirits sold and distilled?

So this is once again highlighting the talent here in Antigua, highlighting the things we can do again. And they have their tasting bar here too.

So everything is local. Everything in here is made locally, including the gins, all of these products here.

Handbags. The Stillhouse is in here, but the distillery is in English Harbour.

The distillery and the ingredients have their own stories. Ask a maker where the fruit, grain or botanical in your bottle came from.

I’d go with time to walk, meet a maker and ask a question. The chocolate tour is one part of the property; the Lamblion garden visit is another Antigua story to read beside it.