Woodland Nursery Spanish Lookout
After several weeks of unstable weather conditions, it was refreshing to see the mud drying up, a bright blue sky and the first winds of the Belizean “spring” weather. Perfect weather for driving around so we decided to visit a hard-working and thrifty widow in Spanish Lookout who owns one of the 3 or 4 nurseries in the colony.
Ms. Hertha Dueck greeted us politely and pointed out the various types of trees and flowers. She explained that she currently has 50 types of palm trees, including a rare one which grows deep in the humid jungle and is highly prized by illegal Guatemalans who sneak into the thickly forested and poorly patrolled southwestern corner of Belize. She also mentioned 30 different hardwood trees, an impressive number. I asked about a shade tree which attracts mammoth caterpillars with spikes an inch high that can deliver an extremely painful burn on your skin. She pointed out the nopal cactus which is popular in Mexico.
On November 10, 2012 her husband suffered a near-fatal accident which left him permanently disabled. Three years after that accident they opened Woodland Nursery. Now, nearly 2 years since her husband passed away, she ‘s still running the business. If you would like to purchase a plant or simply look around, contact Ms. Hertha at : 501-674-5604.
A. Mendoza