A visit to San Anton Gardens at this time of the year will satisfy most of a persons’ senses. Primarily those of smell, sight and touch. However the main sense that is satisfied is the one that is referred to as “the feel good factor”.

The gardens are in full bloom and the hue of colours brings feeling of Monet and Matisse to those looking on. The many groups of tourists who regularily visit these gsardens are always very appreciative  of what they see and in their comments sheet list San Anton as the highligjht of their visit to Malta. However most of us Maltese only visit San Anton on rare occasions and fail to enjoy Malta’s gem of a garden year round.

Ever since the Environmental Landscapes Consortium took over the management of these gardens some 15 years ago it has become an established fact that these gardens are kept in pristine condition and in full bloom year round.

It is a wonderful sight to see young mothers with children and new born babies having a stroll in this important environmental lung surrounded by three densely inhabited villages.

The peace and quiet that reign in this garden are very difficult to find elsewhere and spending a few precious minutes in these glorious srroundings recharges our mental batteries and improves our frame of mind.

It is not unusual to come across a water colourist  or two immortalising a particular corner of these gardens on their canvases and passers by stop to admire these works of art as they are being created.  

Others sit on the benches reading a book or medidating in silence. A silence which is sometimes broken by the happy shrill of a child chasing an elusive pidgeon.

But it is the living picture of the beautiful flower beds that steals the show. Keeping a garden like San Anton in full bloom year round is no easy task. Timing is of utmost importance and the choice of plants and the ensuing colour scheme needs to be studied and planned well in advance.

The change in the climate pattern does not help. This year we practically had no winter. This tends to upset the the flowering season and changes have to be made accordingly.

The gardeners who toil daily to ensure that the young plants  are ready for planting at the right time have a difficult job on their hands but have always managed to bridge the gap.

The Maltese should make it a point to visit these gardens at least once a month so as not to miss out on the varying palette of colours that are planned for us by the hard working people of the ELC.