It is the most visited garden in Sri Lanka.
In Sri Lanka, both public and private gardens abound, and probably the most famous and most visited are the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. At 6 km from Kandy, with over 59 hectares, it is the largest botanical garden in all of Sri Lanka. In this huge garden we have more than 4000 species of plants and trees.
It is an essential visit on a trip to Sri Lanka. Everyone, without exception, likes it. No one is disappointed by such a variety of plants and trees from around the world.
Get to know more about the beautiful place …
History
The origin of the Royal Botanical Garden or Peradeniya Botanical Garden dates back to the late fourteenth century, when newly released King Wickramabahu III transferred the court to the city of Peradeniya, on the border of the Mahaweli River.
This garden was in effect in Peradeniya intermittently from that time until 1821, the date on which it is definitively established where it is today.
For some time the work in the garden has focused on a scientific level oriented essentially to the introduction and acclimatisation of useful and ornamental plants. There was also a time when an attempt was made to base the garden’s activity on the economy by planting coffee and cinnamon.
During World War II, the botanical garden was used by Lord Louis Mountbatten, the supreme commander of the Allied forces in South Asia, as the headquarters of the Southeast Asian Command. Today the building from which he planned his entire strategy in Asia is still in perfect condition.
Location for plant development
The Peradeniya botanical garden is in a perfect position for the development of all types of plants. It is at a height of 500 meters above sea level. This “Mediterranean” climate, together with the humidity of Kandy and the Mahaweli river that surrounds it, means that all the plants and trees that inhabit it grow and develop in a spectacular way.
Peradeniya botanical garden collections
Among his collections are to highlight:
Collection of palm trees, most of which are presented forming spectacular avenues.
Orchid house, which houses over 300 varieties of orchids. Among those that stand out Cattleya, Dendrobium, Arachnis, Oncidium, Phalaenopsis
Collection of Gymnosperms
Flower garden
Bamboo Collection
Cactus collection
Spice Garden
Ferns Collection
Curiosity
Among the curiosities we can find there is a vast area of trees planted since 1900 by important people, from kings to presidents and famous people from all over the world.
In this area called “Memorial Trees” some trees were planted by Queen Elizabeth II of England, Uri Gagarin, Jorge V of England, Eduardo VIII, even a passionate character like Che Guevara.
Plants and curious trees
Double coconut tree, botanical name Lodoicea
Cannonball Tree, botanical name Couroupita guianensis
The botanical garden today
It is a place for recreation, both for locals and for foreigners. Entire families of Sri Lanka and married couples are used to spending the day in the botanical garden of Peradeniya.
For this reason it works 365 days a year and its doors are open from 7.30am to 5pm.
