Royal Botanic Gardens - Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

Along the Colombo Kandy main road, about 4 miles / 6 kilometres from the city of Kandy, lies the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens - nearly 150 acres of picturesque landscape, bordered on three sides by the River Mahaweli. Initially the royal gardens of King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, the Royal Botanic Gardens, in the present day, have expanded to house a wide variety of exotic plant life.

The first Botanic Gardens of Sri Lanka was set up by the Dutch in Slave Island and later moved to Kalutara, by the British. Its final transition, to Peradeniya, took place in 1821, under the guidance of Mr Alexander Moon. Originally, the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens was focussing on coffee, tea, nutmeg, rubber and cinchona; plants of economic importance to the country. The garden's true potential as a botanical site, flourished after the appointment of Brazilian botanist George Gardner, as its chief superintendent. Exploring almost the entirety of the island, Gardner collected a range of indigenous plants and herbs, making them known to the world. The efforts of his successors, Dr Thwaites and Dr Henry Trimen: further enhanced the value of the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens, adding to its splendour and repute.

Several books such as Catalogue of Ceylon Plants, The Flora of Ceylon and A Hand Book of Tropical Planting and Gardening were also published over the years, that contributed in unravelling the mysteries of native plant life.

Today, the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens is a nature lover's paradise - featuring an immense variety of vegetation from all over the tropical world. The 50-acre arboretum, which includes a palm garden and the majestic royal palm avenue, are excellent examples of the variety of palms available in the garden. The extensive collection of bamboos including the giant bamboo of Burma, the spice garden, the fernery and the flower garden are some of the other highlights. Another fascinating feature is the orchid house, which reflects on the diversity of orchids found in Sri Lanka.

Botanical Gardens, Hakgala

The second largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka, Hakgala Botanical Gardens is picturesquely situated in the hill country, a mere ten kilometres (six miles) away from the city of Nuwara Eliya. The comfortable cool weather that prevails throughout the year compliments the exotic flora and fauna, creating a true paradise.

According to the legends, the history of Hakgala Gardens dates back to the time of Ramayanaya; an epic love story of the east. Queen Sita, captured and brought to Sri Lanka, is said to have been hidden in this vicinity - the Hakgala Gardens at that time was one of the pleasure gardens of King Ravana.

The present day Hakgala Gardens was established in 1861 under the patronage of Dr G H W Thawaites. Originally it was used for the cultivation of cinchona and later for tea. The development of Hakgala Gardens as a botanic garden was initiated by Mr William Nock and since then many varieties of flowers and trees, both local and foreign, have been introduced.

A network of small creeks, complete with wooden bridges, is seen throughout the garden, creating a magical atmosphere. The magnificent rose garden, conifers, cedars, cypresses, variety of pines and English oak are just a few examples of the diversity of plant life that is seen here.

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