Peradeniya Botanical Gardens at Kandy
Peradeniya Botanical Gardens are about 6 miles outside Kandy. A large site (60 hectares / 47 acres) built in loop of a large river, the gardens were designed by the British on a site which was once a royal palace and garden. This is one of the best gardens I have seen .. the layout is superb ; open spaces are interspersed with dense gardens such as the Fern Garden .. a few plant houses including an orchid house, bamboo groves .. much to see and enjoy. It is good to see so many flowers and flowering trees which we normally have in a hothouse, growing in natural conditions. And of course with at least 2 hours of rain per day and temperatures of 86 degrees, this is a hothouse climate.
Java Fig Tree
The highlight for me has to be the Java Fig Tree in the Great Lawn. It is a huge spreading tree (2500 square feet) which is over 100 years old and seems to be in excellent health. Up close, the leaves are small .. much like the ficus we have as a house plant .. but the scale and beauty of this tree is astounding.
My rant (rant: tirade, theatrically preach)
I have to have my rant
The Water Garden .. covered in a old fashioned steel cage which you often saw in old style zoos .. pathetic.
The Japanese Garden.. the directors of this botanical garden should be sued for using the name. This is a mess and doesn't even hold its own as a garden, let alone this moniker.
The fine print
Date of travel : November 2007
Country information :
www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ce.html