Sunday, June 27, 2010

Diamond Botantical Garden

The first day of our honeymoon we went to Diamond Botanical Gardens near Soufriere. It was just the start of a long journey on which Thomas became very tired of going to botanical gardens! Above, pretty heliconia.
Part of the estate was originally farmed as a plantation. However, large scale farming in the Caribbean is generally unprofitable now. The owners have planted instead dedicated the land to tourism and planted it with species important to Caribbean life. I think the variety of useful, beautiful plants that grow here so well is wonderful and amazing, but I'm a plant geek...
Nutmeg.
Helical Ginger.
Anthurium Lilly "Naughty Boy".
A very pretty Celosia growing in December. I got the feeling that many of our annuals and house plants are perennials kidnapped from the tropics.
More Heliconia.
Torch Ginger.
Red Ginger.
Pink Ginger.
It's been so long already I don't really remember what the rest of these are called. Just enjoy.
Hummingbird.

The Diamond River runs through the estate. It is fed from a volcanic gorge up-valley. The high mineral content gives the water it's black color, and gives the town of Soufriere it's name (Sulfur).
These mineral springs were thought to have healing benefits. In the 18th century a bath built just downstream from Diamond Falls (above) was quite popular. We didn't partake.

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