The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of the birds for mirth
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on earth
...... (Anonymous)

There are no words to express the beauty of the Hibiscus flower which is extremely popular in all tropical countries.

This shrub adds greatly to the joy of living in Barbados and throughout the island it can be seen in the form of hedges on the boundaries of properties.

There are nine main types of Hibiscus blossoms with many more varieties of colours coming from these types. Through the years new shades and shapes have been cultivated. The flower blooms for one day only, there are a few hybrids which open for a second day.

For evening entertaining purposes, the blossoms should be picked from the stem at daybreak and placed in the refrigerator until sunset. This process tricks the natural rhythm of the flower, providing blossoms late into the evening for the joy and conversation of dinner guests.

Despite the flowers' short life span, they bloom profusely all year round; as a result there are many daily colourful blooms on each shrub, which makes the Hibiscus somewhat of a magical flower, deeply loved throughout the Caribbean.

Be sure to visit The Flower Forest to discover many beautiful tropical flowers!