Yunho Lee came to the Rio Grande Valley to find an aloe vera supply for his Korean company Univera Aloe. A visit to Hilltop Gardens, established in 1939 and the oldest, continuously operating aloe farm in the U.S., convinced Lee to do more than simply source aloe. He bought the company and its 517 acres north of La Villa in 1988.

Since then, Hilltop Gardens, a part of Aloecorp, has reinvented itself to highlight new Botanical Gardens, the Organic Farm producing vegetables and aloe vera, and a Bed & Breakfast with conference and retreat facilities.  A new Visitors Center, on the site of the 1939 Ewald farmhouse, includes a gift shop featuring Hilltop Gardens-brand of aloe vera products such as gels and moisturizers, body lotions and creams.  That is so fitting, because Lee Ewald, who started Hilltop Gardens, and her daughter, chemist Phyllis Ann Schmidt, were the first to develop cosmetics which had aloe vera gel as an ingredient.

The Gardens

“My definition of botanical garden is a living museum, a learning experience,” said Paul Thornton, Hilltop Botanical Garden manager and former head of the Corpus Christi Botanical Garden.

The lush gardens, open to the public ($1 admission) for self-guided and guided tours, captivate visitors with their color, size, variety and beauty.  Divided into four themed areas, the plantings are organized into the sensory gardens, an aloe garden, a healing garden, and a children’s garden complete with a stream, playground and labyrinths to explore.

The sensory gardens that circle the visitor center showcase plants which provide sight, smell, touch, taste and sound opportunities, with interpretive signs identifying the esperanza, night blooming cactus, kapok, fragrant mock orange and bamboo along the walk.  Visitors feel transported to a different world in the cooling shade of the mixed native and tropical gardens with plentiful benches and the adjoining palm forest.  The Healing Garden, centered on a reflecting pool, is sheltered from the outside world.  Here mourning doves dominate the sun-dappled refuge.

“There is no place in the U.S. where people can see all the aloe species we have here,” Thornton said. “Two hundred aloe species flow up and over hillocks in a landscape designed by an Austin firm. The gardens are all brand new business for the company.  There are a lot of adaptions as we go along.  Adaptability is the key to sustainability.  The goal is to have a sustainable operation using green technology.”

The gardens and farms have achieved certification as Global GAP (Good Agriculture Practices.)

“We intend to be part of Valley nature tourism, not competing with existing places,” but adding to the attractions, said Thornton. “The more nature tourism facilities we have, the longer people will stay in the region.  We’ve gotten an extremely positive response from people who come out.  It’s just a matter of getting people out to see what we are doing.”

Joseph Kim, vice president, explained that Hilltop Gardens and Aloecorp are sister companies sharing the premises.  The aloe vera processing facility was relocated to Mexico about two years ago, although Hilltop continues to grow and harvest its acres of the “relief in the leaf.” Back by the Global GAP, Aloecorp has long range plans to operate an aloe consumer product production facility at Hilltop Gardens.

The B&B

The mile-long, palm- tree lined drive past aloe fields and organic produce also leads to the hacienda-style Inn at Hilltop Gardens which welcomed its first guests in September.  Beyond the graceful arches and Mexican tile, the wide terraces and the palapas at the pool, Hospitality Manager Maria Ravelo Wissinger works to make guests feel pampered during their stay.

“I want to make sure they feel like they are in another part of the world.  Here they can unwind and be completely at ease, and they leave wanting to come back.”

Wissinger, who runs the Cornerstone restaurant in Edinburg, helped develop the inn’s healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.  Guests come for a memorable experience, with gorgeous sunsets, a fitness room and privacy as part of the package.

Kim and Thornton pointed to a layout depicting Hilltop Gardens’ next phases.  The botanical gardens are expected to double in size and include a cantina garden for onsite food and beverage service as well as a spa garden with a day spa.  The Inn has room to expand around a second courtyard. While vegetables from the organic farm are shipped out of the region because the local market does not yet generate enough demand, an organic vegetable processing plant is slated in addition to the Nature Tech USA aloe manufacturing facility.

In the future, Hilltop Gardens should be a showcase of applicable green technologies and a destination for birders, nature lovers and those seeking a respite from the chaos of everyday life.

For more of this story by Eileen Mattei, pick up a copy of the October edition of Valley Business Report, on news stands now, or visit the “Current & Past Issues” tab on this Web site.