FOR many couples, when the nest is finally empty of children and the pace of life slows down a little, a natural choice is to start travelling, visit exotic locals and meet new people. But not for Jean-Marie Wade - she decided to bring the travellers to her when, on November 16, 2005 (which, coincidentally, was her 48th birthday), she and her husband, Russell opened Wade’s Garden Inn, a small guest house at their home in Southampton.

“The time was perfect because in 2005 both our sons, Jason and Marcus, were off to university and preparatory school in Canada,” she explains. “So we converted a portion of our home into a lounge and two suites.”

Situated on a beautiful plot of land off Middle Road, Wade’s Garden Inn overlooks Riddell’s Bay and Jew’s Bay. Guests are free to roam the spacious lawn and well-tended gardens. The Wades converted a section of their two story home into a common lounge with a large screen television and internet access, as well as two suites named for two plants found in their own garden - pineapple and hibiscus.

A certified accountant, Mrs. Wade spent 15 years at Fidelity Investments (“When I left I was a manager in the compliance department.”) but she always dreamed of owning her own business.

“The time was right for me. If I was going to do something for myself, the timing was perfect. I had been at the company for a long time and I felt the need and the urge to do something a bit more independent,” Mrs. Wade says. “I think everything just came together at the right time. I knew in my heart I really wanted a business and I kept thinking ‘Well, what could use my talents’? I studied accounting but my passion is really gardening and people, so when I put my passions together, this is what I got.”

Her family was more than supportive of her decision to convert the house to a guesthouse, each having their own role to play. After her husband, Russell Wade, retired as Permanent Secretary of Works & Engineering, he was able to devote most of his time to helping out around the house, as well as tending to gardens and their pet Doberman pinscher, Shadow.

“Russell loves to cook, so he does loquat jam when loquats are in season and cherry jam when cherries are in season,” Mrs. Wade says.

Asked whether it’s a change of pace from the daily rigors of working for the government, although he jokingly calls himself the “manual labour”, he admits, “it’s less stress actually. It’s enjoyable.”

He continues: “Works and Engineering was customer relations and running this inn is more of the same, but it’s a more personable relationship between yourself and the guests.”

Since the Wade’s manages most of the gardening, the guests have an opportunity to follow them around while they work: “They come out and ask me a million questions on every flower, how it grows. They love that.”

It’s all about the personal touch at Wade’s Garden Inn - this is apparent from the moment guests step onto the property, and throughout their stay.

“When the guests come they are presented with a little gift of (Russell’s homemade jam) before they settle into their rooms before we take them on a guided tour of the immediate area,” Mrs. Wade explains of their routine. “I want them to feel that they’ve come to an island and they’ve truly experienced part of island living and culture, and I think ‘Feel the Love’ is a very, very good slogan for what our tourists should experience. I don’t think you could have asked for a better one.

“If I can be a part of that and help give back to them then I’m happy - if they’re happy, I’m happy.”

While many of their guests come to them via there website, Mrs. Wade says they also get a lot of referrals by locals for wedding guests, as well as parents of guest workers who come down to visit.

“In the winter we try to target the companies because a lot of the companies put their staff for two weeks to a month while they’re trying to find their own apartment. I quite like that because they’re here for a long time and we get to know them better and help them adjust to the island,” she says. “One girl was here, she didn’t know where cable vision was so we took her down to show her that and told her about Gorham’s and Masters, because those places are a little out of the way.”

As for the future of Wade’s Garden Inn, everything in stride.

“We’ve started out small, very manageable. Yes it may grow but I don’t want to lose the fun aspect of it,” Mrs. Wade muses. “It’s just a matter of letting it settle first, making sure that’s what we wanted and now we know we love it. It’s over a year old now, so we feel very comfortable with it.

“I quite like projects so, there will be a next but the details of that I’m not certain about at this moment.”