Botanical Gardens of Costa Rica

On my last trip to Costa Rica in Feb. 05, while doing research for my botanical tour programs, I visited the three most important botanical gardens in this small Central American Republic - Wilson Botanical Gardens, Lankester Gardens and Arenal Botanical Gardens. Each of these venues was quite different from each other in terms of design, location and focus. If you are botanical enthusiast, it wouldn't hurt to visit all three venues. To follow is a brief description of all three ...

Wilson Botanical Garden

Located in southern Costa Rica near the Panamanian border at an elevation of 4500 feet above sea level, Wilson Botanical Garden covers an area over 25 acres and were designed in part by the famous landscape designer and architect, Roberto-Burle Marx. The gardens are operated by the Organization of Tropical Studies (OTS) as a center for research, scientific study and public education in tropical botany. The gardens are terraced to give it sort of a natural feel; plants of the same culture requirements are grouped together - Bromeliads, marantas, heliconias, gingers in particular are well represented here. There are over 700 species of palms alone, the second largest collection worldwide. Easy to navigate walking trails circle the entire property which abuts a private biological reserve. Believe it or not, this is one of the most popular venues for the birdwatcher crowd. When I was there, a small group of real avid Birdwatchers from California and Massachusetts stayed at the lodge and were really stoked as they added many new bird species to their life history list. Nearby is the quaint little town of San Vito which was founded by Italian immigrants sometime after World War II; there are several great pasta and pizza ristorantes in the area.

Lankester Garden

Located in the Central Plateau near the historic colonial city of Cartago, Lankester Garden are operated by the University of Costa Rica. It's an easy 1-hour drive from San Jose. For several years, this facility was poorly maintained, however when I visited the gardens in Feb 2005,the gardens were in good shape as the University spent some money on upgrading the facility. The gardens are located on a relatively flat terrain at an elevation of about 3,000 feet above sea level; while it does not have the raw and wild look of Arenal Gardens or the classical natural terraced landscaping of Wilson's, it is still an absolutely delightful place to see and is especially popular with visiting Tico Families from San Jose.

Featuring over 1,100 different species of orchids including the most important collection in the world of the miniature Pleurothallids, Lankester is definitely the place to go if you're an orchid enthusiast. Walking inside their Orchidarium, I saw many unusual and colorful species of cattleyas, ladyslippers (Phragmepidiums), moth orchids (Phaelonopsis) oncidiums, stanhopeas as well as the tiny looking " dwarf orchids". I'm not really an orchid enthusiast per se, but I have to admit some of the exotic orchids on display in the Orchidarium were real knockouts. For your information, The National Orchid show, a special weekend festival in San Jose takes place every year in March.

Arenal Botanical Garden and Serpentarium

Located about 3 1/2 hours northwest of San Jose, Arenal Botanical Garden is situated on a sloped hillside directly across from Arenal Lake. These gardens are primarily a native species preservation project; it definitely has the wildest feel of the three described venues and features many native Costa Rican plants, trees and flowers in addition to a good selection of imported and introduced species. Overall, 2,200 species are represented here including an extraordinary collection of Cycads and ferns. The trails climb a relatively steep grade and circle the entire facility. There is also a small Serpentarium on site - if you're interested in becoming familiar with some of the indigenous snakes of Costa Rica, this is definitely the place to visit. Boas, pythons and poisonous species are equally represented here

There lots of attractions in this region of Costa Rica, including the majestic Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world; in addition there are some small butterfly gardens in the area and several venues with thermal hot springs. Sportfishing and windsurfing are two of the most popular activities at Arenal Lake, a large manmade lake, located just east of the volcano.

In addition, if you're staying in the San Jose Area, you must visit the lovely gardens at the Bougainvillea Hotel, located in the quiet San José suburb of Santo Domingo.

Bus Goldberg is a seasoned world traveler and the director of Calypso Island Tours, a travel company that specializes in botanical adventures and nature tours to such diverse destinations as Costa Rica, Thailand and the Caribbean. He also maintains his own travel blog, Calypso Island Chronicles

The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, AZ

The Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona are located in Papago Park. The gardens are home to a large collection of desert plants. The 50 acre, 63 year old collection is one of the world's largest and contains plants that are considered to be endangered species from around the world.

Numerous educational programs are held at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix. Whether you are a preschooler or senior citizen you are bound to find a program of interest. The Desert Landscaper School is a very popular program especially for those who have just built or purchased new homes and need some help with their curb appeal. It is also appealing to those who currently work as landscapers or may be seeking employment in the landscaping field.

The Botanical Drawing courses are also popular. There are three levels of the class with the first level teaching the art of using graphite for simple drawings. The second level uses pencil. The third level combines graphite and pencil and teaches the students how to illustrate botanical concepts such as plant pollination and reproduction. Other courses offered include botanical watercolor, color theory, drawing butterflies and scientific illustration.

The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix also has pavilions and courtyards that may be rented for weddings, social and corporate events. A "Desert Sunset Ceremony" will make your wedding an unforgettable event for all in attendance! "Jazz in the Gardens" and "Music in the Gardens" are also popular events. If you are feeling up to an evening stroll you will appreciate the "Free Flashlight Tours."

Almost daily there are numerous field trips to the gardens. There are special field trip packages designed to please those of any age. The gardens can accommodate field trips for students from preschool to adults. There are also different themed field trips which are also open to adult groups. The garden is currently working on a field trip which is geared towards those students who are currently home schooled.

Numerous organizations offer garden memberships which range in price from $65 per year to $1250 per year. Each organization includes numerous free events in the yearly membership price. The more expensive yearly membership prices include family memberships which admit two adults and children to almost all garden events.

The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is open seven days a week. It is closed for the observation of the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. From October through April the gardens are open from 8AM to 8PM. From May through September the gardens open at 7AM and remain open until 8PM. Keep in mind that some tours are not available after dark.

Admission is $10 for adults and $9 for seniors. Students from 13-18 and college students are $5 with identification. Children from 3-12 are $4 and children under 3 are free. If you are planning to be in the Phoenix area the Desert Botanical Garden is a great pastime.

Ian Pennington is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix [http://www.thegardenworld.info/the-desert-botanical-gardens-in-phoenix-az], please visit The Garden World [http://www.thegardenworld.info] for current articles and discussions.

Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh

Edinburgh is one of the international tourist attractions of the world but most visitors tend to stay in the centre, especially walking through the Old Town and visiting the magnificent Castle.

There are however many equally fascinating places that should not be overlooked and premier among them is the Royal Botanic Garden in Inverleith Row, on the north side of the city, within a one mile bus ride of perpetually thronged Princes Street. Numbers 8, 17, 23, and 27 buses all stop at the gate as do the buses of City Tours. "The Botanics", as Edinburgh folk call the gardens, cover a spread of 78 acres and are visited by over 660,000 visitors a year who go there to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of a magnificent oasis in the heart of a teeming city.

One of the major advantages for families of a trip to the Botanics is the fact that entry is free, though a charge of £3.50 a head for adults is levied for visitors to the awe inspiring glasshouses where Britain's tallest palm tree grows in the world famous tropical rainforest, as well as banana and rubber trees and a huge range of beautiful orchids. A large collection of rare rhododendrons from New Guinea and Borneo can also be seen in the Tropics House.

A recently opened - and free - Chinese Hillside rising above a beautiful pool is also very popular with visitors. Growing there are unusual specimens which were brought back to Edinburgh from China by plant collectors in the early 20th century. There is also an internationally renowned rock garden with rare Alpine plants, a Scottish heath garden and an arboretum that dazzles the eye during autumn. Altogether the Botanics is home to over 6 per cent of all known plants in the world and is a centre of scholarly research as well as a sojourn of delight for visitors.

The origin of Edinburgh's famous garden goes back to 1670 when two doctors, Andrew Balfour and Robert Sibbald, opened a physic garden beside Holyrood House and five years later established a second garden on the site of what is today Waverley Station. In 1763 the two combined gardens were re-located on Leith Walk where they stayed till 1820 when a horticulturist called Robert Graham moved them to the present site at Inverleith.

The two Palm Houses were built in 1834 and 1858 and have been maintained in their original form since then. Another range of exhibition plant houses was started in 1967 and today they provide a range of environments from tropical forests to arid deserts. There is a well stocked shop at the main gate and also a terrace café. A team of guides take visitors on garden walks at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day. The informative walks last an hour and tickets, costing £3, can be bought at the shop or at the Palm House reception desk. No pre booking is necessary.

The Botanics are open every day of the year except January 1st and December 25th.

In summer, closing time is 7 p.m. From November till February the Garden closes at 4 p.m.

Article courtesy of Ecosse Unique - Holiday Cottages in Scotland

How to Make Your Yard Look Like a Botanical Garden

A botanical garden is basically a well cared for and well-designed (sometimes not even planned out) garden that is considered a public place for the whole community to enjoy. Mostly you will also be able to see cards with the scientific or botanical names of plants, flowers and trees. The key to creating a botanical garden right in your backyard is determining what these plants and trees will be called in any nursery, getting them and start designing! At home, however, you can include the plants you find the most attractive and there are no rules that state you have to keep plants that do not appeal to your tastes.

The most important task you should keep in mind when creating your own botanical garden is the application of a focal point. There should be a corner, a flowerbed or an amazing tree that ultimately attracts the attention. An ornamental flowering tree is a good example of a beautiful focal point and flowers and bushes of your liking can successfully surround these. To create that "lush" and tropical look, you should make sure you incorporate flowering bushes and trees and if you have a big backyard, you can create smaller, interesting focal points with these that lead up to your main attraction. Using bamboo adds to the tropical feel and can even be used to create "walls." Colour is crucial, especially when creating the "botanical garden" effect. This can be done by adding different rose bushes and trimming them to the correct heights to fit in different places. Hibiscus flowers with their huge blooms, Lilies or Gladiolus also add immense and beautiful colour to botanical gardens. When you plant them in heaps or "mass plant" them, you can create a magical effect.

Plan ahead and determine where the most shade and sunlight falls in your garden. Make sure you plant certain flowers and bushes according to their needs, because you can ultimately waste a lot of money by replacing plants over and over. Make sure you also know what the seasons do to your garden. In winter, for example, it is great to have evergreens and plants that keep their berries so you will have colour all year round. When it comes to grass, it is best to use Zebra or Pampas (tall grasses) to fill space or to place here and there. Letting plants and grass grow more freely creates a more natural look.

Do not let a smaller yard discourage you, because smaller yards can in fact look cosier. Creating walkways makes a yard look bigger and adding a bench in the middle of tall plants also gives your garden an intriguing feel. It is also important to not only think "botanical," but also to be consistent with a style and climate appropriate plants, like Mediterranean or English Country. A botanical garden should ultimately be place where trees, flowers and shrubs are "cultivated for exhibition" and that is what you should recreate: a beautiful place that keeps you and visitors in a good mood.

Are you ready to turn your outdoor space into a natural haven of beauty and tranquility? Do you want to be the envy of the neighbourhood? Download your copy of Landscape Design: The Road to a Beautiful Surroundings now and turn your garden into paradise!

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Discover The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens

The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens is located on 150 acres of land at 1150 Oxford Rd. in the city of San Marino, California. San Marino is best known for the financial wealth of it's residents and for it's proximity to the city of Pasadena http://pasadena.usacitydirectories.com. Many people, however, believe that the city's biggest asset is the Huntington Library which is made of three art galleries and a library which "showcase magnificent collections of paintings, sculptures, rare books, manuscripts, and decorative arts", and the botanical garden with a collection which "features over 14,000 different species of plants".

The Huntington houses such treasures as "the Ellesmere manuscript of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales; a Gutenberg Bible on vellum; the double-elephant folio edition of Audubon's Birds of America; a world-class collection of the early editions of Shakespeare's works; original letters of Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, and Lincoln; and an unsurpassed collection of materials relating to the history of the American West.", 18th century British and French art, American art ranging from the early 18th century to the early 20th, French and British sculpture, tapestries, furniture, porcelain, and silver, and British drawings and watercolors. Additionaly, the Huntington is world renowned as home to Gainsborough's Blue Boy and Lawrence's Pinkie.

"Henry Huntington began developing the Botanical Gardens in 1903. Now they span nearly 150 acres with sweeping lawns and vistas interspersed with statuary, tempiettos, and benches. Approximately 15,000 kinds of plants from all over the world make up the botanical collections, many landscaped into a series of theme gardens."

The three and a half acre Huntington Rose Garden is comprised of approximately 1,200 cultivars made up of "Old Garden Roses (roses developed before 1901); China, Tea, and Noisette Roses; Shrub Roses (including the David Austin English Roses); and Modern Roses from all parts of the world".

"Playful plant choices, such as topiary animals, weeping mulberry trees, papyrus, and tree aloes resembling something from the world of Dr. Seuss, create a storybook atmosphere that combines elements of fantasy with the very real wonder of nature" make up the children's garden.

"The Shakespeare garden contains shrubs and perennials that evoke an English garden. Many of the plants have been cultivated for centuries and were even mentioned in works of Shakespeare, including pansies, violets, pinks, rosemary, daffodils, iris, roses, pomegranate, and orange."

In the Subtropical Garden, "Walking east to west from the Jungle Garden, the areas transition from subtropical southeast Asia and South America plants, to Mesoamerica plants (Mexico and Central America) in the central beds, Chile in the upper central bed, southern Africa in the western bed extending along the road and in beds continuing uphill to the lawn, to the Mediterranean region in the upper two west beds."

There are also Chinese, Desert, Herb, Camellia, Japanese, Australian, Palm and Lilly Pond gardens as well as a Botanical Conservatory

The Huntington is closed Mondays and the following holidays: Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day and Thanksgiving.

Admission is free to members. For non members the fees are Adults $15, Seniors (age 65+) $12.00, Students (age 12-18 or with full-time student I.D.) $10.00, Youths (age 5-11) $6.00, children under 5 are free. Groups of 15 or more are $11 per person. Admission is free to all visitors on the first Thursday of every month.

For more information about the city of San Marino, California see http://sanmarino.usacitydirectories.com, a directory of links to city of San Marino, California guides and directories listing information, resources, services, things to do and places to go.

David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and is currently the publisher of several internet directories, including http://www.usacitydirectories.com a directory of national, state, county and city guides and directories listing local guides, directories, web sites and web pages providing resources, services and information about things to do and places to go.

Victoria Botanical Gardens in Seychelles

The Victoria Botanical Gardens, also called the Mont Fleuri Botanical Gardens Seychelles, was established in 1901 by Mr. Paul Evenor Rivalz Dupont. Today the Botanical Gardens is classified as a National Heritage and the Ministry of Environment is responsible for it. The garden is of remarkable beauty with natural features like granite rocks integrated into its landscape architecture. It is located within 1 km from the Town centre, next to Victoria Hospital and opens on all days throughout the year from 08.00 to 17.00 hrs.

The Victoria Botanical Gardens shelters innumerable insects, reptiles and a large variety of birds including Seychelles Bulbul, Seychelles Blue pigeon, Indian Mynah, Seychelles Tropic bird and fruit bats which feed on the fruits in the garden. A keen observant of nature can have an eyeful of feast of butterflies, grass hoppers, terrapins and fish. There are opportunities for visitors to have a close look at the giant tortoises.

It covers an area of 6 hectares and homes around 500 species of native and endemic plants which are of rich value in various fields like culinary, agriculture, timber etc. It holds about 99% of all native plants found in the Seychelles including those classified as critically endangered. There are around 50 species of palms of which the most famous is the KING of palm trees, the endemic Coco-de-Mer. The palm collection includes those originating from North and South America right across to Australasia and Far East Asia.

The most interesting plants here are undoubtedly the Rose of Venezuela, Pride of Barbados, Traveller's Palm and Ylang-Ylang. There is also an Orchid House which holds a collection of exotic and a few endemic orchids.

There is a nursery over here that has an assortment of exotic flowers, shrubs and fascinating palms just ready for planting. A phytosanitary certificate issued by the Plant Protection Unit in the Department of Natural Resources is needed for transporting any plant to any destination.

The Le Sapin Cafeteria offers hot and cold drinks made especially from local fruits and herbs. The caf? can be hired for private functions and meetings such as weddings and private meetings. To visit and explore the Victoria Botanical Gardens, in Seychelles, you'll find superior Seychelles Hotels to meet your accommodation needs with Seychelles Holidays.

Welcome to Seychelles Holidays, your travel partner to the Seychelles Islands. For more information about the various Seychelles accommodation options available for your next holiday, please contact our Seychelles travel consultants at our United Kingdom marketing office on 0208 658 4366.

Belfast Botanic Gardens

Belfast Botanic Gardens is located just south of Belfast city between the River Lagan and Queens University, close to the junction of Botanic Avenue and Malone Road.

Established in 1828 as 'The Private Royal Botanic Gardens', the Botanic Gardens was opened to the public in1895 when the Belfast Botanical and Horticultural Society sold it to The Belfast Corporation. Today it's owned by Belfast City Council.

The public park covers an area of 28 acres and boasts some fantastic features. These include a diverse collection of tropical and temperate plants, glasshouses, fountains as well as beautiful walks throughout. There's plenty to see and do here and it's also a fantastic spot to relax or spend the day with the family.

The main feature of Belfast Botanic Gardens is 'The Palm House'. The Palm House contains two wings, one that's called 'The Cool Wing' and the other 'The Tropical Wing' which is dominated by a large dome area. Here many tropical plants can reach their full height and it's proudly home to an eleven meter 'Globe Spear Lily'.

The Lily, which is formally a native of Australia, first bloomed in March 2005 after a 23 year wait. As part of the Tropical Wing there's also 'The Stove Wing'. The temperatures are high here, hence the name, and you'll find an abundance of tropical and exotic plants in this wing. The Cool Wing includes seasonal displays from spring bulbs to flamed nettles and much more.

Opening times

April to September

Monday to Friday: 10am to 12 noon and 1pm to 5 pm.

Saturday/Sunday: 1pm to 5 pm

Bank Holidays: 1pm to 5pm

October to March

Monday to Friday: 10 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm.

Saturday/Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm.

Bank Holidays: 1 pm to 5 pm.

The gardens also contain another glasshouse called The Tropical Ravine House, which was built in 1889 by the then head gardener, Mr. Charles McKimm. The glasshouse features a sunken ravine that runs through the middle of the building and includes a beautiful balcony at each side for viewing.

Other attractions at the Belfast Botanic Gardens include an alpine garden, a beautiful and colourful rose garden, a pavilion, flower beds, specimen trees, sculptures, fountains, rockeries bowling green, and a great children's playground.

Admission to the gardens is free and there's also free car parking available as well as wheelchair access.

How to get here

The gardens are located on Botanic Avenue which is just off Belfast's Shaftesbury Square.

If you're taking the bus then you can hop on any metro number 8 and get off at Queen's University. You can also take the metro number 7 and get off at College Park.

The Gardens are just a short walk away. Head along Bedford Street, continue onto Dublin Street and then onto University Road.

Mairead Foley writes for the Ireland travel and accommodation website http://www.GoIreland.com where you can book quality approved Belfast accommodation including Belfast hotels.