One of our favorite parts about gardening and landscaping is the opportunity to find inspiration all over the world. Last February, my husband Scott, my daughter Morgan and I took a trip to Panama.

A major highlight of our trip was visiting the small, little-known Bocas Del Toro Botanical Garden located on Isla Colon, an island of the Caribbean coast of the Republic of Panama. The botanical garden is owned and operated by a lovely English couple, David and Lin Gillingham; it was always Lin’s dream to have a tropical garden, and she takes great pride in her plants which she so lovingly takes care of.

As we marveled at the stunning collection of heleconias, palms, gingers, ornamentals, flowering trees, fruits and other tropical fauna, we were joined by a group of playful howler monkeys! Even our giggles did not compete with their loud howls! Although photos cannot do the breathtaking scenery of Panama justice, here are a few of our favorite shots from the trip and the Bocas Del Toro Botanical Garden.