Aruba’s Hidden Paradise by Susan Campbell Roy and Grace Maduro have long been known as “the plant people” on this island for their formidable contributions to its flora and foliage. And now they have added B&B hosts to their list of accomplishments.
Aruba is typically known for some of the best resorts in the Caribbean – from big splashy all-inclusives to more intimate boutique hotels. But few people realize that there is another accommodation option for a different type of holiday here: the bed & breakfast. A stay with a real Aruban family, a taste of life in a real Aruban home, and an insider’s view of the island are things few visitors ever experience. A B&B also offers an economical option for an extra day should your travel plans change. Let’s meet one couple that opens their hearts and home to visitors from all over the world. A growing concern
Aruban-born locals Roy and Grace opened their B&B just a few years ago, but they are best known on this island for their dedication to plants and gardening. Love of the land is an inherent trait to both of them. Grace’s grandfather grew aloe in San Nicolas, while Roy says he first became aware of nature at the age of four when he visited his mother’s native home of Saba, a lush, verdant tropical isle. Roy says, 68
“I always wanted to be a farmer, so I went to study tropical horticulture in Holland.” Unfortunately, he couldn’t find employment in his chosen field on Aruba but his dream of being a “son of the soil” never left him. Roy later met Grace and it was her belief in his dream that was the extra push he needed to finally start his own plant business. That business was called Fantastic Gardens and it was soon growing as quickly as Roy’s plants. E Photos by Luis Mejia
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Dug into the community
In 2011, Roy acted as the interim manager of Arikok National Park and Grace decided to leave the corporate world behind to step in and run the family business. They are busy folks, hosting visitors and staying extremely active in the community. Through their garden center, they hold special tree-planting days, theme parties, and sponsor many local events like the Aruba Donkey Sanctuary’s annual fund raiser walk. Roy’s past work at Arikok Park reinforced his desire to always run his business with an eye to the environment, and opened his mind even wider to the importance of protecting the island’s natural legacy for future generations. Grace also has a special healing herb garden project in the works. Delights next door
The plant people
Roy and Grace built a home beside the business and juggled jobs and parenthood. Fantastic Gardens soon became legendary for donating countless plants and supporting a multitude of local charities and causes; it expanded to include a landscaping business that brings tropical splendor to many of the island’s biggest resorts. Roy began writing a regular column on gardening tips, organizing garden tours in other countries for plant enthusiasts, and plans to write a book about growing plants on Aruba if he ever gets a chance to “officially” retire. He also sits on the Aruba Hotel and Tourism Association’s Environmental Committee. Globetrotting brings guests
Roy is an avid photographer and Grace loves to paint abstracts. They both speak four languages (Dutch, Papiamento, Spanish, and English) and share a passion for travel, some70
thing that has sent them to the far reaches of the globe seeking new plants and products for their business. They make friends easily, and often invite people from other countries to visit them on Aruba – which they inevitably do! It was these frequent calls to host visitors that inspired them to build the little bed and breakfast behind their house. Aptly named Hidden Eden, it consists of a cottage secreted away in a beautiful tropical garden with some stand-alone rooms on the side. The massive patio that easily fits 20 is the focus of their famous feasts as they both also share a passion for cooking. Roy is known for his incredible lasagna and Grace bakes beautiful bolos (the Aruban word for cakes) and they often have musical friends stop by to get everyone up dancing. To date they have hosted folks from the Philippines, New Zealand, Canada, Panama, Suriname, the United States, and the Netherlands to name just a few countries. Photos by Luis Mejia
Beyond being able to relax in Grace’s ama zing oasis of tropical plants and ponds right outside the rooms, guests of Hidden Eden can also enjoy Fantastic Gardens’ six lush sprawling acres of plants, flowers, and trees literally steps away. Relax around a lovely little meditation pond, stroll through orchid alleys, stave off the munchies with a pastechi (deep-fried dough pockets full of goodies) from the espresso café, or let the children burn off some steam in the small playground. If you want to make use of the patio barbecue or the cottage kitchen they
also have fresh herbs for cooking – like yerbe di hole, Aruba’s pungent basil that gives local dishes such a distinctive taste. And if you like, Roy and Grace will arrange a private tour so you can learn about Aruba’s indigenous plants and trees and their important connection to the island people. K
For more information, visit hiddenedenaruba.com and fantasticgardensaruba.com. 71