Member Stories

WE OFTEN HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE GOT HERE.

Here is information on some of our members:

Beverly

Beverly is responsible for designing the creative logo we use. Thank you again. She retired from corporate life in 2012, and relocated to Mexico from Texas with her husband, David. She lives here full-time, still trying to get used to the summer humidity, which can be ferocious. Before making their move, she and her husband traveled frequently to the beaches of Quintana Roo, where they found that they loved the culture, the food, and the tremendously hospitable people. While becoming fluent in Spanish has been an ongoing challenge, at least they are no longer getting by on “Spanglish,” which they are sure is a great relief to all native speakers.

While Beverley primarily passes her time as an oil painter, she also loves growing plants. Her favorite plants in Texas were antique roses and herbs, but she has found trying anything here other than native plants leads rather quickly to their untimely death. So far, Beverley has had success growing Aloe Vera and lemon grass

Lemon grass LOVES the heat, looks fantastic, and makes a nice cooling tea plus keeps mosquitoes away. One of Beverley’s favorite native plants is day blooming jasmine, it has such a sweet smell. She may even try to grow it one of these days!! http://www.rareflora.com/cestrumdi.html

Marguerite

In summer of 2011, Marguerite, her son and his wife decided to leave Dallas-Ft. Worth TX and move to the Yucatan permanently. For 30 years before this move, Marguerite and her family had owned property in Akumal and had many friends over the years still here.

In three months, both Texas homes were sold. A huge garage sale relieved them of most of their possessions and with only one car, a truck and one trailer, the group, plus three dogs, headed for Akumal. Luckily Red Beard was there to lead the way.

Left behind were jobs, good cash flow, possessions and stress. Traveling down the roads was quite an awakening. Instead of being met by machine guns, as predicted by friends, they were met by friendly people, and horses, cows and goats crossing the freeway.

Arriving in Akumal and reconnecting with old friends, they bought three acres in Rancho Santa Terisita and built two homes. A year later, Marguerite’s grandchild was born.

Gardening has always been a love and down here everything grows; what you want and what you do not want.

They have become a part or the permanent community and love it.The best thing, besides time to spend with friends and family, is the clean air, great smells of the jungle and the ocean, and good natural food.

Challenges come with the different cultural expectations for appointments, work completion and everything associated with building your own place. Different cultures and different work ethics can make for unexpected challenges.

Would they do it again, yes, yes and yes.

Rozanne

Rozanne lived here full time and was attracted by the wonderful turquoise water, white sand, palm trees and peace. She always finds something new to explore and learn. She has a many flower gardens and is working on a jungle garden. Her favorite plants are Flor De Mayo, Desert Rose and orchids. She grows lime, orange , papaya and pitaya trees.

Rozanne is very active in turtle conservation, the Akumal Now on line news and is a valuable member of the garden club.

Pam

Pam and her husband moved to Jade Bay from Anchorage, Alaska. They chose to move here to retire for the beauty of the beaches, the birds, flowers and the great friends you easily meet.

Having moved here in June 2015, they are establishing a patio garden and learning to enjoy the long growing season. The challenges facing them as gardeners include the hot dry season and then the long rainy season. Their goals are to learn which plants do well in the tropical climate and salt air.
Their favorite plants include the vibrant hibiscus and plans include planting fruit trees.

This was quite a change from Alaska for them where the growing season was three months and the garden pests included moose. Yet they managed to have a beautiful wild flower garden, picture here.

Dave and Dan

Casa Gatos Gardens
David Zucker and Dan Freeman bought a home in Akumal Norte thirteen years ago now called Casa Gatos. The property has a beautiful vine covered Mayan stone wall enclosing a grand plaza with a cascading water fountain filled with talavera fish. At the time of purchase, the garden had a wonderful skeleton of palm trees, banana trees and velvety grass lawns. Over the years they have added planting beds colorful talavera pots

They consider themselves amateur gardener with lots of luck. From seeds they have been successful at growing mature plants such as: amaryllis lilies, date palm trees, mango trees, maney trees and varieties of flowers. They have also grown pineapples, papayas, coconuts and bananas

They were instrumental in helping establish the Mayan Garden Club along with Marguerite in Feb of 2015.
They work hard to keep the environment both beautiful and true to the natural beauty of the Maya Coast.

Lynda

Lynda and her husband first came to Cancun in 1983 on a tour and discovered Akumal, the place of the turtles. They visited for several years finally buying property in 1999. They feel they are living their dream finding a special magic and constant renewal on the beach.

Diana

Diana has a landscape company in Dallas and stays here about three months a year. She loves the culture, the local culture and the beautiful skies and beaches.

Her condo complex has space for the gardeners to work . She finds the beachside environment high salt, minerals and limestone soil a challenge. Her favorite flowers include a plumeria and the native orchids. Trees include a banana , a papaya, a persa limon, a mandarin and a dwarf mango. Unfortunately most were taken out in a recent storm so she is working on replacing them.

Moira

Moira lives in Chan-Chemuyil most of the year returning to Tennessee for holidays with her family. She originally came here for cave diving and felt she was home and stayed, building an amazing home.

She loves the Mayan Culture, the cenotes, ocean and the jungle. She states that the challenges which she welcomes have been language, customs, building a home.

Her garden includes planter boxes of stone, cement and various pots. She loves the use of various materials and colors for homes and gardens including shells, driftwood and mosaic tiles.

Her favorite plants are Jasmine, Honeysuckle, “Planta Maya”- Plumeria, for their flowers and their fragrance, the Flamboyan Tree, the amazing Orchids, Hibiscus, and so many of the flowering vines- for the beauty and glorious color of the flowers as well. She also loves the Chaya, the Pina, and the Banana Trees for their food.

Moira’s home is very unique to this area and her creativity is evident. It includes interpretations of art works and designs found in ancient pyramids in the area.

Muriela and Lea

 

 

 

Lea and Muriela recently came to Tulum, being attracted by a warm climate and reef diving.

They built a home across from a Tulum cemetery and are planning to add a studio on top plus more gardens.

Their favorite plant is Chaya plant given to them from a Mayan family in a very small village outside of Carrillo Puerto .

Muriela loves scramble eggs with chaya. She warns us just to eat if once a day.

Colleen

Colleen was born and raised in Alaska as was her Dad and she knew someday she would break the family tradition and find a place of sun and warmth that would last more than 3 months of each year.  She loves Alaska and the beautiful Mountains that surround their home …  But, not so much the dark of winter.

Colleen and her husband, Jon came to the beautiful Riviera Maya Coast in 1993 for a family vacation.  Jon loves to dive and his work buddies on the North Slope of Alaska told him of Akumal.   On the first visit Jon encountered a whale shark while out on a Robinson Crusoe Cruise in Akumal.  Jon said, “That’s it, we are buying something here!”  So, they bought a Condo in Luna Azul.   And have not missed a year coming to Mexico since!

While exploring they soon discovered property for sale in Soliman Bay.  They were amongst the first buyers and in 2001 they began construction on their home.  They planned the construction lay out so that they are surrounded by the trees and have as much garden as possible.

Colleen says that it is wonderful to have her home in amongst the Palm Trees where it is cool and refreshing all the time.  The tropical breeze and oxygen from the plants keep them plenty cool. They love playing out front under the shade Palapas while overlooking the gorgeous bay, watching the sunrise, swim, snorkel, dive, kayak and enjoy their family visits.   Colleen & Jon spend about 4 to 6 months of the year at Nah Alux (House of the Leprechaun)  And in between love traveling the world.

They are the proud parents of 7 children, and grandparents of 24 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren, and … counting!