of between two-week’s and a month’s salary. > Things to note: You cannot submit your domestic helper’s work permit paperwork until your own work permit has been approved; it is illegal to make them pay for their own work permit; helpers are not allowed to have dependants on their work permit and the maximum time they will be allowed to stay on the Island is ten years. MAINTAINING YOUR GARDEN
If you live in an apartment complex, the strata will generally take care of garden maintenance. Homeowners not a part of a strata can seek landscaping services from one of the many companies in Cayman. See the Lawn & Garden Maintenance heading further in this chapter. Alternatively, you can maintain your own garden. Equipment such as lawn mowers and fertiliser are available from most home centres such as A. L. Thompson’s, Cox Lumber, Kirk Home Centre and Uncle Bill’s. There are also very good plant nurseries with experienced staff who can advise you. Refer to the Shopping chapter for details on where to buy all-weather outdoor furniture.
Cayman Growers
Has Over 10,000 Trees and Shrubs Most Grown Locally
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R U N N I N G YO U R H O M E
Over 50 Varieties of Palm, Shade and Ornamental Trees
NURSERY • Largest Nursery on the Island • 30 Acres of Trees, Shrubs and Empire Zoysia Sod
• Wholesale Division • Expert Advice
Landscaping Expect to pay independent landscapers around CI$15 per hour. Many gardeners will chop back plants, so be very specific about what you need trimming, and make sure they don’t kill any snakes as grass snakes in Cayman are harmless and help keep the frog population in check.
LANDSCAPING
• Landscape Design & Installation • Irrigation and Landscape Lighting • Residential & Commercial • No Job is Too Big or Too Small • Professional and Experienced Team BEST PRICES ON THE ISLAND
Planting Trees Planting trees around your property is a great way to support Cayman’s environment and will also help keep your house cool, provide shade outdoors while your children play in the afternoons and add character and value to your property. Local resident Margaret Barwick, author of the book Tropical & Subtropical Trees, maintains the emphasis should be on respecting and incorporating indigenous flora where possible. Planting indigenous trees supports the local wildlife (birds and bees, in particular), will be less affected by pests and will also bounce back far quicker after a major storm.
Hours of Operation Monday-Friday 8am-4pm Saturdays 8am-5pm Call: 345.323.0722 Email: caymangrowers@candw.ky Web: www.caymangrowers.ky 188
CAYMANRESIDENT 2022
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The Neem tree is a fantastic shade tree that grows fast and is drought resistant. It is non-toxic to birds and is an important honey plant (i.e. bees love it). Another great option is the Mahogany, an indigenous, endangered tree that is salt tolerant and fairly fast growing. The smaller Poui, Poinciana and Tabebuia trees are also very popular on-Island for their showy canopy of bright flowers. Not to be forgotten are fruit trees: Mango trees are slow growing, but they are wonderful when they bear fruit. Investigate the different varieties and choose a species whose fruit you love. A couple of amazing ones that don’t have strings in them are the Bombay, Carrie, Nam Doc, Keitt and the Nelson. Avoid planting the invasive, non-native Casuarina tree. While coconuts are fast growing palms and provide nuts filled with delicious water and jelly, the nuts may fall and hurt children if they play under them, so have the coconuts removed often. A good person to talk to about plants that attract birds and butterflies is Ann Stafford. She runs Cayman Nature (www. caymannature.ky) and is a native plant expert. Lawn & Garden Maintenance Lawns in Cayman, and particularly those with St. Augustine and Zoysia grass, often suffer attacks from white grub, army worms and cinch bugs. If your lawn is coming up in clumps or showing brown patches, then you have a problem. The most effective way to treat it is to have a pest company spray the lawn every three months and make sure you water it well. Note that Zoysia lawns should be shaved down once a year during the rainy season. Cayman Growers A complete landscape company and plant nursery, as well as a 30 acre sod/grass and tree farm located in East End. They have a wide variety of palm, shade and fruit trees including mango, avocado and the Barbados cherry. Their landscaping services include design, installation, irrigation and lighting. Monday-
