Sept. 26, 2007 — Gray rain clouds parted and the sun came out Wednesday for first lady Cecile deJongh and Cheryl Francis, wife of Lt. Gov. Gregory Francis, as they began a tour of St. Georges Village Botanical Garden.
"I haven't been here since I was a teen on a field trip," deJongh said. "I see it has changed."
"The gardens are always changing," replied David Hamada, horticultural director at the botanical garden.
Hamada led the tour, along with board members and staff, beginning at the herbarium collection. The herbarium collection is housed in an air-conditioned room not open to the general public. The collection is made up of dried and pressed plant specimens.
"This is physical proof of a plant's existence, even if it is extinct," Hamada said. He told deJongh and Francis about two federally protected plants found on St. Croix, and explained the difference between federally and locally protected plants.
Volunteers are creating a database and website of the bar-coded specimens, Hamada said.
The women were then taken to Laura's Garden and the bromeliad garden, where Hamada answered questions about Spanish moss and air plants. A discussion was held in the cactus garden about the difference between the St. Thomas and St. Croix agave plants.
"The gardens have evolved into a gorgeous and unique place since the last time I was here," deJongh said. "I am really impressed with David and what he has done."
Board member Nina York took the women to the spot in the courtyard where deJongh's family has inscribed bricks in memory of loved ones.
"This is really wonderful," Francis said. "It is amazing the history here." She added, "We really need to promote the gardens."
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