The Gardens of the Bali Hyatt

I always find Bali to be a magical island, there is a ‘calmness’, a ‘sense of peace’ there; it envelops you. It is often referred to as ‘paradise’ and it is paradise; the Bali Hyatt personifies this.

From the front of the Lobby a path leads down to a short flight of steps, towards the front garden and Spa beyond; past, a group of lava stone statues of a Gamelan Band. Continuing on, the path passes a garden filled with Golden Torch Ginger (Heliconia psittacorum ‘Golden Torch’), White Striped Flax Lily (Dianella ensifolia ‘Marginata’), and cordylines (Cordyline fruticosa); before reaching another short flight of steps with mass plantings of White Striped Flax Lily on either side. From here there are views down to the Spa and across to a terraced section of the garden where a mass planting of a fine leafed grass, gives the impression of water streaming over the edge of the wall. Continuing on, the eye is drawn to the vivid colouring of a group of croton cultivars (Codiaeum variegatum cvs); the green leaves of the wild iris (Dietes bicolor) and the black volcanic rocks used to build the stone walls intensify the rich colours of these crotons. Beyond this, the entrance to the Spa is marked by an archway covered in bougainvillea and supported by Balinese totems.

A converging path leads off from here, in one direction the path leads to the Kul-Kul Tower, in a secluded corner near the entrance to the resort; nearby a Golden Trumpet Vine (Allamanda cathartica ‘Hendersonii’), with its large striking yellow flowers climbs through a Singapore White Frangipani. In the other direction the main pathway leads around the Spa and through to the West Parklands; near the end of this pathway is a large long shaped pond, narrowing down towards the middle of the pond. Across the narrow part of the pond is a bright blue arched bridge; growing on the roof of the bridge is a Purple Wreath (Petrea volubilis) with its small white star shaped flowers; nearby, on the curve of the pond, a small pebbled beach juts out into the surrounding lawn. On a clear day a picture perfect reflection of the bright materializes on the pond surface.

Along the way, paths criss cross the main pathway, randomly leading off into different sections of this large garden and to the outer edges of the garden; where grassed sections flanked by garden beds; invite you to wander in and have a look around. They lead past bougainvilleas grown as a small standard tree, on thick gnarled trunks; mass plantings of the red cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa ‘Rubra’) and crotons adding splashes of colour. The paths lead through the Palm Walk, to the Fernery and past the Regency Club surrounded by an Imperial Water Garden. Large pots filled with water and water plants are strategically placed throughout the garden while pots and urns are randomly placed.

As the garden wraps itself around the accommodation courts, low volcanic rock terraces rise up towards the Courts; hiding the entrances to the courts and the lower rooms providing them with their own secluded areas. Each of these courts is almost square in shape with a courtyard garden in the middle of the building. Around the inside, on each floor, is a walkway connecting the rooms and from the upper floors there is an ever changing view over the courtyard garden as you walk along; yet enough is hidden to entice you down into the courtyard garden.

Within the Hibiscus Court, this almost ‘miniature’ garden has gravel paths leading through the garden; there are urns, pots and statues carefully placed throughout the garden and Balinese lanterns light up the courtyard at night. Gingers, heliconias and hibiscus rise up out of the ground, blocking the view of the garden behind them; adding a touch of mystery as you walk around. Palms and the Singapore White Frangipanis reaching up to the top floor, lightly shade the area and providing shade for the Jamaican Dwarf Heliconia (Heliconia stricta ‘Jamaican Dwarf’) with its distinctive leaves with a red mid vein. Crotons add swathes of brilliant colour, while the White Border Flax Lily and the Variegated Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinesis ‘Cooperi’) lighten up the area with their white variegation. The flowers of the red ginger (Alpinia purpurata), the Golden Torch Heliconia and the Dwarf Pink Ixora (Ixora chinensis ‘Pygmy Pink’) add splashes of colour, along with the flowers of the small red flowered hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinesis ‘Pysche’). These hibiscus flowers along with the frangipani flowers are used to decorate the statues within the resort. In between the Hibiscus Court and Frangipani Court is a wooden bridge crossing over a large pond filled with filled with pink Lotus flowers (Nelumbo nucifera) standing high above their leaves.

Moving towards the back of the lobby, there are views out and over the back of the resort to the lagoon, and beyond to the surf breaking against the reef. Looking downwards, the back garden is displayed below as it descends down towards the beach; thatched roofs can be seen through the frangipanis and palms.

In front of the sitting area in the Piano Bar is a long rectangular pond; at one end water is flowing in unobtrusively, whilst at the other end it spills over two sides, with each side heading off in a different direction. In one direction it forms a waterfall spilling onto rocks below as it reaches another pond close to a metre below. From here a narrow stream twists and turns as it splashes down over waterfalls before dividing again, forming a wider gentle stream as it heads outwards to the Hibiscus Court, disappearing under a paved bridge and ending in a tranquil large pond filled with water lilies and Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Heading in the other direction it continues on its way down towards the pools and Omang Omang Grill where it forms another large pond. Within this pond are clumps of dwarf cyperus surrounded by water lilies. Rising out of the pond is a plinth topped with a bowl, containing a garden flare that lights up the area at night.

Flowing in the opposite direction from the Piano Bar, the water cascades over a series of waterfalls and into a small pond; where it slows down and moves around an island, where a Desert Rose (Adenium species) grows, before falling down into a wide stream. After flowing under a bridge covered in Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) the stream divides, tumbling down waterfalls and ending up as small ponds in several spots.

Leading down from the Piano Bar into the garden is a flight of steps, inviting you to explore and find where the water has disappeared to. At the bottom of these stairs, high volcanic rock walls on either side initially block the view of the garden until they reduce in height as the path progresses towards the pool areas. Along the way, steps on the left lead up into grassed areas, allowing access to follow the progress of the water and to enjoy the views of the surrounding garden. From these grassed areas it is possible to walk up to the waters edge as the stream gently passes by and to look back up the terracing to see the waterfalls and the twists and turns the water has taken to get here.

Next to this area is the largest pond, almost the size of a backyard swimming pool and bordered by the main building with the Lobby above and the Wantilan Café. Filling the pond are water lilies and scattered throughout the pond are water filled large urns rising up out of the water; each of these has a high fountain of water bubbling up, then crashing back down as the urns overflow into the ponds. Edging the pond are pathways, gardens and a grassed area, narrowing down to an isthmus leading to an island in the middle of the large pond. Planted on this island, is a large Singapore White Frangipani, its top branches are peeking out from the pink flowered bougainvillea growing through it; giving the appearance of a bougainvillea tree in full flower. Planted around this are brightly coloured crotons bordered by strappy leaf foliage. Sitting on one side of this pond, the open air Wantilan Café is the ideal spot to enjoy the view out over the pond whilst eating breakfast.

In 1981, Made Wijaya and Ketut Marso of CV Swastika Kebun were invited to inject some of their style into the gardens. This style ‘was bred from Made’s love of the natural English landscape gardens and his love of tropical fecundity’. Over the following years they dismantled the terraces and transforming them into hanging gardens. In 1983, they started work on the West Parklands along with 55 gardeners and in 1985 they revamped the Court gardens. Their work here has been copied many times over and it is now known at the ‘Balinese Style’ garden that we know today.