Happy Independence Gardening!

Good day, gardeners, and happy 50th independence to our small but mighty, loved and treasured, Commonwealth of the Bahamas.

Let’s take a peek at our national flower, the yellow elder, and a glimpse at our national tree, the lignum vitae.

Both hold symbolism in their representation of the beauty, the strength and the resilience of our people; of you, and of me.

The yellow elder plant is botanically referred to as Tecoma stans and the Lignum vitae as Guaiacum sanctum.

The word sanctum, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, means a sacred place or a place where one is free from intrusion.

Think on that one, that’s deep. As is the fact that the lignum vitae is amongst the hardest woods in the world!

The fact that it sinks is one we will disregard for now, although one could reference it as an anchor… how’s that? I like that.

There are many alternate common names for both, but I like yellow bells for the yellow elder, and tree of life for the lignum vitae.

My ancestors who were amongst the Eleutherian Adventurers, left Bermuda as religious independents seeking sanctuary and religious freedom, only to land, quite by accident, upon these shores.

As luck would have it, and the strength and will to survive would see it through, all of these years later we have the unalienable right and privilege to claim our own sovereign and independent nation and to ring the bells and to celebrate in freedom, a half a century of national independence!

I could expound greatly on both of these national symbols, but unlike the opening ramblings that we preclude many public events with, I’ll hold things to within reasonable bounds as set by this esteemed publication.

There are medicinal uses to both our national flower and our national tree.

Some of you grew up in the 1970s and ’80s, as I did, and as many of us were outdoors a lot more than the screen-addicted youth of today, stomach worms were quite unavoidable.

Did you know that the yellow elder can be used as a vermifuge? It can also regulate blood pressure, help with digestive issues, and restrict the growth of yeast infections. I was not aware of all of that prior to some research.

One thing I did find out, is that some sources indicate that honey produced by bees harvesting nectar from the yellow elder can be poisonous to humans. The flowers themselves are said to be edible and can be used as a garnish on salad et al. As with anything health related, it’s always best to consult the professional health practitioners. The yellow elder has deep roots (symbolism again?) and can be well used for erosion control. It is also very drought tolerant, and water is a serious concern and ought to be preserved and protected.

The yellow elder makes for a beautiful addition to any garden and is bright and cheery. You won’t go wrong to plant one. The size is easily controlled by pruning, and if let to grow it can reach a height of 20 or 25 feet.

The lignum vitae is a very strong tree. Pruning to shape is best done when they’re young, as they’ll eat up a chainsaw blade in no time once mature. If you find a large lignum vitae, it’s all but guaranteed to be well over a hundred years old, and I’ve found a specimen that could well be several or more hundred years old.

I put my arms around the trunk and had well over 18” between my fingertips. I will be checking soon to see if it still exists, as there’s a greedy corporate mouse that has decided to tear up the land that it was standing on. Progress they say. As we progress as a nation, I implore you the individual, and we, the government (remember, parliamentarians are elected to carry out the will of the people, of you, and of me) to plant a tree, choose a lignum vitae and one leaves a legacy for our children, and many generations to follow. The bees and the birds adore the yellow elder, and they also adore the lignum vitae, especially when it’s in flower.

If one is to stand under a lignum vitae that is in flower, the sound of the bees at work is mesmerizing and often very noticeable. They harvest from the flowers in droves. The lignum vitae has been used to treat respiratory afflictions, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, and as a remedy for hypertension. Most of all, they’re gorgeous! Lignum vitae are very slow growing (symbolism?). Let us plant more of them, they are well worth it. There you have my quick take on our national flower and our national tree. Please celebrate safely, and let us remember, we are Bahamian, all of us. Onward, upward, together! As always, I wish you happy (independence) gardening.

• Adam Boorman is the nursery manager at Fox Hill Nursery on Bernard Road. You can contact him with any questions you may have, or topics you would like to see discussed, at gardening242@gmail.com.

Hollywood has long considered the Bahamas the perfect backdrop when movies require a beautiful natural environment and/or a tranquil paradise setting.

In addition to major blockbusters being shot here over the last seven decades, the islands are also a highly sought-after location for TV shows and documentaries.

If you prefer to stay at home rather than hit the streets for the various 50th Independence events this holiday weekend, you may want to consider grabbing some snacks and watching some movies filmed in our beautiful Bahamas.

It’s no surprise that when Hollywood wants the perfect ocean and beach settings, the Bahamas is at the top of the list for shooting locations.

In fact, “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” was the first movie to ever be filmed under water and was actually shot in the Bahamas back in 1954.

It may have been those images that beckoned more filmmakers to come here, because over the years numerous directors have taken advantage of our crystal-clear waters.

In the 1960s, Nassau was especially known for being a playground for the rich and glamorous, so it makes perfect sense that suave MI 6 agent James Bond one of the most famous films to be shot here is the 1965 James Bond film “Thunderball”.

As legend has it, the owner of Hog Island changed its name to Paradise Island in 1962 and eventually allowed Bond producers Albert