In the giant’s garden

By Aniltra Chaudhari

UP in the hills of Sabeto in Nadi, the fluffy white clouds provide a flimsy blanket for the sleeping gaint. In the valley below his feet lie a profusion of orchid flowers, shrubs and pine trees.

This is the Garden of the Sleeping Giant founded by American actor Raymond Burr ( Ironside , Perry Mason ) in 1977 to house his private orchid collec tion. Since then, the collection has become one of the largest in the South Pacific with more than 20 genera and 200 orchid species on display.

The Sabeto Range is frequently re ferred to as a Sleeping Giant because of its form like a gigantic man reclining, head placed well back, arms folded over chest and feet pointed into the clouds. He is considered to be the patron saint of the Fijians living in nearby Natalau Village.

The garden, just under 50 acres, lies just beneath the hills hence the name Garden of the Sleeping Giant. In addition to raising dendrobiums for cut flower sales, the Garden houses many

more varieties for display so it is a popular visitor attraction. One suspects even a sleeping giant doesn’t mind the additional traffic when his garden is so

greatly admired. Because of the calmini beauty of the Garden and its blooms there’s a tendency to speak in hushec tones and, thus, there’s little chance o

disturbing the slumbering giant.

Children ask to see the Giant, but mos visitors tend to simply wander am wonder at the garden’s beauty.

Time to smell the orchids: tourists admire the blooms at the Garden of the Sleeping Giant in Fiji

Picture: Anokh Kum

Exotic beauty: a spray of tropical orchids flourishes at the Garden

6.7 km north of Nadi International Airport.

Upon entering the garden, visitors are welcomed with an ice-cold glass of fruit juice and given a brief introduction by one of the garden guides. Guests may explore on their own or with a guide.

Most of the orchids are grown under knitted shadecloth to protect them and their guests from the sun. An almost constant breeze from the Sabeto Range and frequent sprinklings combine to keep the orchids cool. With filtered sunlight, a cooling breeze, and just the right amount of water, the orchids grow lush and tall with many blooms.

Bright purple orchids blend smoothly with yellows, whites, oranges, reds, and other variegated colours.

Flowers hang from pots in sprays of blue, purples and yellows. Single flowers nod in the breeze while visitors enjoy the great variety of colour.

Other orchids fit snuggly in rockeries and simply pour out of the natural crevices. Colourful epiphytic orchids with tiny flowers swarm over rocks and branches.

Most are hybrids. A great variety of genra are found in the garden. Most common are the cattleys vandasa.nd dendrobiums.

“Temperature tolerant” cymbidiums

are a recent addition. Hundreds of Cymbidium Golden Elf line a path.

Dendrobiums are one of the largest tropical genera used by the garden, in a variety of colours, for both cut flowers and display. As cut flowers, they can last three to four weeks. Sprays are sold locally to hotels and restaurants. Orchid lovers also take sprays overseas.

As you wander around lost in your own world of contemplation, you come to feel almost like a giant yourself. In the blooms around you find tiny ballerinas in full skirts, and tight bodices of different shades dancing on the whims of the wind.

Botanists call them Oncidiums\ the guides

say they’re dancing ladies.

And then a trelliced boardwalk led us on towards a tropical jungle at the very edge of the mountains. Along the way, well tended gardens offered displays of

bamboo, palms, frangipani, gardenias,

breadfruit, mangoes, bananas and plants

indigenous to Fiji.

We crossed a lily pond quietly opening its red and hot —pink petals to the sun.

And as we slowly dimed through the

jungle shade, flowering vines, ginger,

heliconia and bromiliads punctuated its lush greeness. As we left the garden, the Giant still slept maybe unaware that we had tiptoed through his garden. Or maybe he knew; and was very proud. □