Urquhart

04/04/2018

Where I grew up, I will have to Dive to find my old home. All these lovely indigenous people have lived on the Islands for over a thousand years, through no fault of their own they are loosing their ancestral home.
It’s not sad it’s tragic.

Anote's Ark is a stunning film EcoWatch is honored to sponsor at the 42nd Cleveland International Film Festival.

01/04/2018

The North Pacific patch isn't unique. Debris accumulates wherever wind and ocean conditions and Earth's rotation create ocean gyres, including the North Pacific, North Atlantic, South Pacific, South Atlantic and Indian Ocean.

02/04/2017

Who knew sustainable living could look this beautiful?

02/04/2017

Wattle fencing originated in England and was traditionally woven with willow or hazel branches

24/03/2016

06/02/2016

The Casa Luna Story:

Four acres of pristine coastline on Grand Cayman’s South Sound presented a unique opportunity for developer, Javelin Holdings. Instead of land planning around a collection of homes, the land plan would actually come first.

Partnering with renowned landscape designer, Sandy Urquhart, the team carved out Casa Luna’s own private beach and built up retaining walls to protect it from storms. They planted lush vegetation and matured it prior to construction. Koi ponds, a grotto and waterfall, gentle streams of water, nature paths, ornate bridges and walkways, a sunken garden – a place where the harmony of nature delights all of the senses. And now with AirVu's help they want to show the world!

28/10/2015

Sad news about the passing of Dr Proctor, the world's leading authority on the flora of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. But his name lives on as our national tree, Coccothrinax proctorii, was named after him.

The Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) regrets the passing of Dr. George R. Proctor on October 12, 2015 and extends condolences to his children, family members, friends and colleagues.

22/10/2015

As many a movie star will tell you, don't underestimate the importance of good lighting!

When you buy a house, you actually buy two houses - the one that you see during daylight hours and the one that appears after dark. Good lighting design is the key to this transformation. Lighting ...

13/10/2015

Too exciting not to share

Exciting news from Urquhart today. We recently entered our work on Casa Luna into the International Property Awards and …. drum roll please …. we have been chosen as the winner for Residential Land...

24/09/2015

And here's part 2 from the Heather Holt Photography album of Urquhart gardens

24/09/2015

The very talented Heather Holt of Heather Holt Photography has taken these stunning photos of some of the gardens I have been working on. A visual feast!

24/08/2015

GROW NATIVE

The Cayman Islands boasts some of the most verdant and lush native flora in the Caribbean. Our warm tropical climate and balmy salt breezes give us an exciting mix of delicate flowers, complex bushes like the Rosemary Bush and robust, visually interesting trees like the Sea Grape. Yet, many times we hear that Cayman’s natural flora is boring, that our terrain has no character. This is not true. The problem is that we are simply not planting and preserving our indigenous and endemic flora and, worse, for years we have been replacing them with generic, non-native plants.

There are numerous benefits to choosing native plants which are by design made for life in this climate: they require less water, fertilizer and care than many exotic species; they are suited to challenging habitats; they are stress-adapted, making them resistant to disease; but most importantly, they provide critical natural barriers in coastal areas and help to prevent beach erosion.

When planted and pruned well, local ‘bush’ can rival the most exotic import, enabling you to create a natural and low-maintenance landscaping solution that is bespoke to its habitat.

KNOW YOUR NATIVE PLANTS

The Cayman Islands Department of Environment has an online resource of native trees (www.DOE.ky) or to see indigenous flora in their glory visit Sustainable.Cayman on facebook.

GROW YOUR OWN

Once you understand how these native trees, bushes and plants flourish best, purchase seeds or opt for cuttings and seedlings. Every planting is a small but critical step in keeping our island’s special flora widespread for generations to come.

For more information visit: http://www.sandyurquhart.com/grow-native