Collaborating with a “plantswoman” in Madagascar

On a small hill overlooking Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, “plantswoman” Blaise Cooke tends to her plants who are eager for the next rain. Originally hailing from Ireland, Blaise moved to the island nearly thirty years ago and founded Paradise Gardens, a nursery specialised in plants native to Madagascar.

In Madagascar, specimens are often uprooted in the wild and implanted into residential and public gardens, to disastrous ecological results. Blaise reproduces Malagasy flora in her nursery and raises them with a healthy dose of “tough love”. The advantage of this strategy is that it minimises the number of unsuccessful replantings in the long run. Plants that receive little pampering go on to thrive under the slightest care of a watchful gardener whereas plants that are treated like Olympic athletes risk withering under a regime with less coddling.

Strolling through the rows of Paradise Gardens, Blaise’s knack for colour, foliage and texture pairings is apparent – a nod to her British, garden-centric upbringing. More than a plant production site, Blaise has created a garden of harmony.