Can you find Lavender, Rosemary, figs or other familiar to US plants?

Ok finally found it again! Something about a phytosanitary certificate needed then a DR agricultural permit upon arrival.  Now just need to find that fellow again and ask him about my plants.  BUT still would love to know if they can be found there...it would be sooooo much easier not to bring them...Thx!

My significant other, who grew up in a farming town on the north coast, advises that rosemary and the others grow wild in many places, local farmers know where to find them.    There are garden centers and nurseries in some cities, and  other people have had a strong interest in plants, here is a story from the Punta Cana area http://www.gardendesign.com/places/bunny-williams-dr

The Jardin Botanico Nacional is in Santo Domingo http://www.jbn.gob.do/ and can be a good place to start for "green thumbs".   If it becomes necessary to import plants the details are available in English : http://www.gistnet.com/cidb-sample/do.i … oduct.html


Ted

Your awesome! Appreciate any and all advice...love to garden, find it a necessary thing to be able to do somehow, someway...Love tropical plants but have some long standing fav's that will just miss soooooo much if can't have them too even if just in pots... Thanks!

Ok read what you linked...the first was wonderful and beautiful, mentioned irises blooming year round, interesting...the other in espanol, I couldn't find actual plant names unless I missed it...The third is similar to other site I have now favored to remember what kind of cert I would need... I have located a garden person locally who can offer that cert but again if I don't have to bring them it would be easier on an already going to be stressful journey due to length of time we have to spend just to get there...its insane! If only a plane would go from Miami to Las Terrenas....

I've been eating guanabana and all the seeds I spit out I've been planting. They all pop up perfectly. It's amazing. They just know the soil and up they go! I also have been planting mango pits. The big pit I put in the soil and out they pop too! What a country! Anything grows here!

Yes, one of the joys of the tropic's they have time to germinate and grow without cold winter winds coming along and killing them... The tropics so make me think of heaven on earth...Of course the bugs don't count in that thought!  How many years for a mango to mature and produce fruit?  Has anyone seen a real fig tree?  I saw online somewhere awhile back some kind of odd looking fig tree there...Nothing familiar about it except possibly these strange looking figs growing out of the trunk... Am resigned to leaving them if needed and just enjoying what is already there as IT IS all beautiful do know that, just want a piece of home, giving up so much already...new start guess you could say.

Also assuming avocado's grow there? I have seen what we called lilly coy's in Hawaii and plumeria's, hibiscus and think even what we called "wood flowers" there....the ferns are lovely too...so primitive and beautiful...Guess alot of it will just have to wait and see...

FYI the cost of the certificate to bring in your favorite plants /seeds - which are already available here as I told you -  will run you well over  US 500!!!!  Find something else  sentimental to bring - like a child or a book or ???      Just kidding....

I have done this process for  business and I know exactly what is involved.It is time consuming and very expensive.

ON another note -  never ever ever encourage anyone to bring in seeds or plants  in their suitcase!!!!!   IT IS ILLEGAL and getting caught will get you JAIL TIME.  So not worth it people.   So dont  try that at home......

My Italian neighbors grow figs here -  once you are here I can ask for a slip for you to start.   

You will spend your first weeks in awe of what grows here and how fast!!!!  Its a new adventure for you!

Yes, Planner thank you...I know about the tropic's I remember well from my eight years elsewhere and yet so similar.  Initially as for all I'm sure it will be a bit of shock to the system as every move has been for me no matter where that move was.... Its an adjustment, that's normal.  I am fully capable of doing whatever I need to do to make a smooth transition even if it means leaving certain things behind.  And no worries my critters will be quite sentimental to me as will a few other things...Just being a gardener by genetic's and for generations too you get attached to certain ones... But am quite used to giving up things and moving on...Life is too short not to move on when needed. Sometimes its friends, sometimes places, sometimes well could fill in the blank with most anything here....

Excellent!

Similar plants seem to be everywhere.  Botanists who were busy in the 1700's and 1800's moving plants from one part of the world to the other (Mutiny on the Bounty was about bringing breadfruit (buen pan) from Tahiti to the Caribbean, many other examples exist - e.g. manzana de oro and the list goes on  )

Thanks all.... really appreciate all the advice and support....

No problem.  I am trying to ease the stress of our relocation to the DR by rewarding ourselves by developing a wish list of plants/trees.  One dream is for a bay tree  (we use bay leaves for cooking and the tree does not grow in northern Canada)...

Awesome! I love aromatic plants so much...Have found the rosemary to be so soothing and you don't even have to pick it! If you just brush your hands around it  you will find a lingering scent that is to me so wonderful and lasting... Where did you say you all are going to, which area? If we end up staying there perhaps we could share gardening advice? That would be lovely!

We are looking at the Samana peninsula / Sabana de la Mar area.   This is a coastal tropical area, in the DR there are other climates, for example some live in the mountains where at ~4,000ft above sea level the town of Constanza has different climate.

Yes, we will be able to share gardening advice.   Coming from North America we enjoy Apple Blossom time, in the DR plant it right and enjoy two flowering seasons annually, right now there are orange trees and guandule ( pigeon/gungo pea) shrubs in bloom at a place we own in Sab de la Mar...


Ted

There is so much choice here with gardening, everything grows soooo fast.  WE are going to renovate a large garden and put in ........... wait for it...............grass. Yes grass. It is actually not too common here.  Then I am going to plant beefstake tomatoes and a lot of other stuff.....LOL

Flowers yup. Herbs yup.

Oh wow! You are going to the same area we are going to!!! How exciting! We are going to Las Terrenas and want to explore Samana proper as well...Also wanted to check out Luperon, Cabrera and maybe Santiago but prob not this trip if we only stay the month. If we stay longer, certainly....Oh this is so exciting to me...  I had originally wanted to go to Jarabacoa but think that will have to wait for now....

Awesome Planner!  Wishing you a very green thumb!

Oh not to act like I know anything about stuff there but know here at the beach there is a grass that grows "across" the sand and quite quickly and allows beach people to have yards...Just a thought.

I want real grass in the yard that can be cut and then I want to walk on it in my bare feet.....LOL

  Go for it!

This brings back memories of walking on a crab grass lawn and seeing grasses planted to protect slopes when I lived in Jamaica.

As to non-walkable grasses for the herb garden it will be interesting to grow a familiar one -  lemon grass, and look at a less familiar aromatic khus khus grass - this can also be used to help stabilize soil and protect against erosion.

acadien175 funny you mention a bay tree.  I am planting one that was a gift from a neighbor tomorrow.  Digging the hole today.  Love using bay leaves in cooking as well as making pickles.

Sweet potatoes went in today

Bob K

Hey Bob,  what is the time from planting to harvesting your sweet potatoes? And are they sweet potatoes or yams honey?

they are sweet potatoes and take about 8 weeks. We start checking them 30 days after the blue flowers appear.  Last batch was lost to bugs.  We have spayed the garden hopefully will be enjoying them come end of June beginning of July.

Just have to keep the house staff away from them.  Last year they discovered sweet potato fries... boy what a mistake on my part

Bob K

Thanks, I planted  yams at our farm.  Lets see how things go.

Bob,  if your staff takes your sweet potatoes, doen't that make them ladrons? It doesn't matter what a person takes, big or small, they are thieves.   If they need them to feed their family's, that is one thing, but then you would gladly give them away.  Otherwise, aren't you condoning their  actions?   I'm aware that it is a sticky question relating to sticky fingers.   I hope that this doesn't upset the apple cart.

Good luck Bob and Planner! My your plants thrive and grow quickly!  You guys taught me something else didn't know, Bay leaves grow on trees! How fun is that! How big do they get? That would be a lovely thing to whiff... Does anyone grow rosemary there Bob/Planner?  Its great for cooking, just sniffing and also in bathwater...

Bob K wrote:

acadien175 funny you mention a bay tree.  I am planting one that was a gift from a neighbor tomorrow.  Digging the hole today.  Love using bay leaves in cooking as well as making pickles.

Sweet potatoes went in today

Bob K

Bay trees can vary greatly in size and height, sometimes reaching >50' tall.  I have seen people take steps to constrain the size -  plant them in large pots or tubs...http://gardening.about.com/od/herbsatoz/a/Bay_Laurel.htm


Ted

Glaurie, rosemary is known as romero in the DR and grows wild.   There is also commercial production of it for example  hair products, and is on the list of Dominican Medicinal plants http://www.prhdr.org/docs/Dominican%20M … Plants.pdf


Ted

gypsy401 no my staff are not landrones. They use them for meals they eat here (and make me fries as well) and they NEVER take anything off the property with out asking first.

Our staff has been with us for 8 years and we trust them to take care of the house and dogs when we travel as well.

Bob K

Yes Bay leaf trees can get very tall and wide.  The "moma" of our small tree we are planting is probably 30 + feet tall and has a 40 foot "wing span"

Bob K

We also grow lots of rosemary and love the smell as we walk in the garden.  I love breaking off a twig or two to get the smell on my hands.  We also has far as herbs go have thyme, cilantro, basal, oregano and lemon grass.

Bob K

Oh Bob!  You just made my day!  Its actually my b'day today and after receiving so many good wishes this really puts a cherry on top  Just love herbs for the aromatic as well as other uses... Love mint too for vomiting/nausea. But have to say rosemary tops my list of fav's! ! Thanks for sharing about the bay tree...never knew that...Ashamed to admit my only knowledge of bay leaves was the little glass bottles you see in the grocery stores... You all sound so handy in the gardens, wonderful!  Makes me happy to know that! Love to converse/share with other gardeners...

Glad to hear that Bob.   I really didn't think that you would tolerate such behavior.   You are a good man to have a honest & loyal staff for such a long time.  Pleased to know of your good attitude & good fortune.   Carry on, old chap!

Glauriel  Happy Birthday!!!!

Bob K

gypsy401 thanks.  A lot of what goes on here has to do with attitude and how we treat others.

Bob K

Bob, good to see that this is the laurel bay.    

In the Caribbean a different type of bay (Bay Rum Tree) is used to make Bay Rum.  There are a number of different recipes for making bay rum e.g. http://www.mommypotamus.com/bay-rum-aftershave-recipe/ .


Ted

P.S. The same family of trees/shrubs has other interesting spices:  http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph16.htm

Bob, thanks for all your kindnesses...and for the b'day wish....the older I get the more I appreciate my b'days! Have been guilty of throwing my own parties too...Everyone deserves a happy b'day in my book! If your were born there was a good reason so lets celebrate that! Cheers!