At first glance, visitors to the Jumeirah 2 villa of Deena Motiwalla might think they’ve stumbled into the Garden of Eden.
Only steps behind her imposing vine-covered walls, a cottage-garden sanctuary beckons with dense foliage comprised of cacti and broad-leafed tropical trees and flowers of brilliant hues and simple shrubs.
For 18 years, the garden has been Motiwalla’s labour of love.
"When we first moved here in 1989, there was nothing but outdoor space. Everything you see, every little twig, I grew from nothing," says Motiwalla, 68, a well-known charity volunteer who served as the first female board member of the Dubai Country Club in the early 1970s.
The joy of her life, however, is about to meet a disappointing end.
To make way for progress, Motiwalla’s government-owned villa will be demolished. "I have no regrets, this is for the betterment of Dubai. Life goes on."
She is moving to a new villa in Jumeirah 1 and will take her potted garden beauties to recreate her paradise.
Jumeirah Garden City: Venice of the 
