The Mayan Garden Club traveled to Chan Chemuyil for their February meeting. First stop was at Moira Hutchins-fuhr to view her container gardens. with an additional treat provided by the Maya culture that she has preserved in her home. A tour of the two cenotes within Chan Chemuyil was next. With amazement we learned that many Chan Chemuyil resident cave divers have mapped and toured the underground water system right under their neighbors’ casas! Next was a stroll through “Jardín de Regalos”(Garden of Gifts), a jungle area transformed by Rozanne Quintero.
Mayan Garden Club member, Rozanne Quintero, took a neglected area of the Chan Chemuyil jungle where trash had been dumped and created a garden where community members can come and spend quiet time, plus share plants. She saved many plants and other items that were thrown away by residents. Other plants in the Jardín De Regalos came from various places in the Yucatán and she has tagged them with their Maya names. The garden sign has been painted with a natural Maya paint made from tree bark, plants, and dirt. The garden markers are tile reclaimed from the trash.
Walking through the garden, you will see a swan statue made from wood and rock, an old chair that is now a planter, a lime and an orange tree, and orchids. Herbs are planted in a raised bed. She has added a water station for butterflies and birds. Some shy residents may also show up if you wait: iguanas, birds, butterflies, squirrels, and snakes.
The jardín shows that trash can become treasure, so she calls the garden a Regalos, gift from God. Here are some pictures that show the trash dump before she worked her magic and what it has become.
Many items have been gifted from the organic trash area and the trash area – one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, Rozanne says. She has made use of many items to create a “scenic turnout” on her street.
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