In the Historic Area

In 2011, a small group of civic-minded residents led by Bob Price, founder of the Vallarta Botanical Garden, recognized that modernization in historic areas would create a concrete jungle unless landscaped space was maintained. They began by planting bougainvillea in city-provided boxes on Calle Basilio Badillo and the Club was soon incorporated.

This ongoing effort, entailing thousands of plants, millions of pesos and countless volunteer hours, has kept the major streets of the historic area in bloom. We also installed new landscaping in the Plaza in front of Our Lady of Guadalupe church for Vallarta’s 100th Anniversary and totally transformed the street leading to Los Muertos Pier. Today, the Club cares for over 500 planters and green spots from the Pier to the Sheraton.

Working All Year Round

When the rains come in June, Adan Davila Palomera, our legally-employed gardener and full-time resident volunteers are very busy with maintenance. This is the time when we can add dirt and fertilizer to our plantings and replace plants that have died or have been damaged or stolen.

In October and November, we usually repaint the planter boxes to look good for “Season.” We continue to petition the City to help us with repairing their boxes that have cracked from bus encounters or roots, and power wash the “black dirt” on some in Old Town.

And we water with a wheelbarrow! When the rains stop, Adan fills up large plastic jugs from a few spots where we can get free water and goes from planter to planter across town. Yes… that’s correct, no drip, no hoses. We also continue to encourage local merchants to join us in maintaining the planter boxes in front of their establishments.

This is hard, tedious work, so please say Gracias if you see Adan. We can’t use a large truck with a hose as that would splash merchants and tourists and uproot under-plantings. We’re hoping to raise funds this season for a tuk-tuk or small quad to make the work easier.