The Handmade Gardens of Yelapa
Forty-five minutes by boat from Puerto Vallarta, and seemingly outside time and space, is the place called Yelapa.
Isolated by the mountain ranges of the Mexican Southern escarpment, Yelapa can only be reached by boat. There are no roads leading into Yelapa. A rugged track can be traverssed by mule or on foot, except during the rainy season when the track is impassible. It should be noted that the rainy season lasts half the year.
Casas de Isabel on “the point” is a botanic garden of rare tropical plants from around the world. Isabel invited us to witness the opening of a flowering tree’s blossoms which only bloomed at midnight. Located in a stunning seaside canyon setting with two waterfalls, Casas de Isabel is a sanctuary for the sacred art of the Huichol where you can see their collection on display . The Women’s Sacred Circle retreats are held from March 24th, to April 2nd. From the Casas Isabel website: “Compassionate listening is almost a lost art among many, including most of our world leaders, but not here!”
The slopes of the village are covered in flowering hibiscus. Dried hibiscus is considered an edible delicacy and children string hibiscus necklaces.
The paths of the village are lined in fruiting shrubs such as kumquat, mango and clusters of potted plants. Here, without any running water, the love of growing plants and beauty is triumphant.
Pigmented walls contrast with handmade moulded clay garden steps.
The region of Yelapa is considered one of the world’s great natural ecosystems for biodiversity, second only to the Amazon. Many important food crops genetically originated here such as maize, cotton, peppers and squash.
