From Soul to Soil: Gardening and Landscaping at Hurawalhi
Everyone needs to escape the hustle and bustle of city life once in a while. A visit to Hurawalhi Maldives will make the concrete jungles of the past nothing but a distant memory. While there’s no denying that dining under the sea and sipping on all-inclusive cocktails by the infinity pool guarantees relaxation par excellence, nothing will foster a calm mind more than embracing the nature of Hurawalhi.
Soothe your soul surrounded by an abundance of coconut palms, blooming Plumeria plants and homegrown vegetables, spices and herbs.
The gardens of Hurawalhi are nurtured with inspiration and a love of nature.
The creative soul responsible for the wonderful environment of indigenous and tropical plants at Hurawalhi is Bandara, Landscaping Manager. Trained at Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya (‘Sri Lanka’s Kew Gardens’) and with over 20 years work experience in Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius and Qatar, Bandara doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet: he started designing Hurawalhi’s outdoor spaces in May 2016 and has, with the help from his team, turned them into eye-catching features that amplify Hurawalhi’s chic character.
In addition to tending to the gardens of Hurawalhi, Bandara is also charged with the responsibility of the island’s conservation which includes the protection of the island’s native plants (70 per cent of all plants on Hurawalhi are indigenous). Bandara’s other passion is growing organic vegetables and herbs: lemongrass, snake gourd, mint, sage, ginger, chilli, curry leaves, onions, spinach, basil and rosemary where he gets to taste the fruits of his work.
Bandara’s upcoming project: make 2000 orchids feel at home at Hurawalhi!
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