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Guanacaste gardens take on a native touch

11 July, 2011 12:01:00 Catherine Keogan

Charm from our nature. The Canivet's emerald hummingbird is one of the many bird and butterfly species that feed on the nectar of the purple porterweed (Stachytarpheta frantzii), a Guanacaste native that flowers year-round with basic maintenance. Lo

It might seem there is nothing more utterly tropical than the sturdy red folds of the ginger flower, more quintessentially Costa Rican than coffee; but these familiar plants are, in fact, deadly alien invaders, and local gardeners are fighting back – with native gardens. The very familiarity of plants like ginger and bamboo is a sign of how successfully they’ve taken root here, becoming outright pests in some cases. Those that don’t take over are usually sterile, offering little by way of food or habitat to local wildlife. Yet their popularity is undeniable – these are the plants that have come to define “the tropics”, even though most of them originate from Asia or Africa, and their inclusion in local gardens is almost automatic. However some local businesses are resisting this cookie-cutter approach to gardens, and starting to incorporate plants that are native not only to Costa Rica, but to coastal Guanacaste itself. Local hotels such as Cala Luna and Capitán Suizo in Langosta, Sugar Beach in Potrero and Harmony in Nosara are looking at ways to create gardens that are more than just a beautiful collection of plants, but entire ecosystems for their guests to enjoy. It’s not just a ‘green’ trend - there are many practical reasons to choose a native plant garden, says Willow Zuchowski, the founder of ProNativas, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping promote the use of Costa Rican plant species. “Native plants not only have better resistance to disease and insects, the insects they do attract are best left in peace as they usually have a vital relationship with the plant,” she explains. “They provide food as fruit and nectar, and also indirectly by attracting insects that serve as food for other animals like birds and bats. Natives also need less fertilizer – they don’t need to be babied.” Most importantly for Guanacaste, native species are already adapted to the region’s harsh cycle of drought and downpour, requiring far less water than exotic species adapted to more humid environments. Natalia Vega, the national coordinator for ProNativas, says simply using recycled grey-water can be enough to maintain native gardens in Tamarindo. She is currently helping the hotel Cala Luna convert their gardens to 75% native species – the remainder being non-invasive exotic species already adapted to drought. The gardens will include artificial wetlands using the hotel’s treated grey-water, to act as an extension of the mangroves and attract aquatic species such as frogs, and a wide diversity of plants to attract resident and migratory birds and butterflies, 150 species all told. “This is more than a garden,” she says. “A garden is something that is just for aesthetic purposes – this is much more complex. It’s an ecosystem; it forms a continuation of the national park. If everyone around here were to do the same, we could form a bio-corridor.” Ms Zuchowski hopes more residents and businesses will see the benefits of gardens that offer visitors a unique taste of Guanacaste, rich with local wildlife and contributing to the local ecology, rather than the sterile clichés that currently dominate. She suggests gardeners take a look in the immediate environment, taking seeds or cuttings (without destroying the original plant) to cultivate on their own. “It’s so easy to grow plants here,” she points out. “No one needs to be a horticultural specialist – it’s more about experimenting.”