Jamaican Public Gardens
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Jamaican Public Gardens, Botanical Gardens and Scenic Highways
Jamaican Gardens can be interpreted as people's home gardens in Jamaica, Botanical Gardens, National Parks and gardens found in resorts and great homes. Check how the idea of a garden is interpreted throughout the Caribbean island of Jamaica.
Backyard Gardening
The newspaper Jamaica Gleaner supported the program, printing an article about how nutritious vegetables such as callaloo, tomatoes, scallions, cucumbers, okra, lettuce, hot peppers and thyme can be grown in small spaces. They put forth organic principles such as recycling water and using grass cuttings and leaves on gardens to discourage evaporation and weed growth.
Typical Jamaican Landscaping
This is what you find average Jamaicans doing about their landscaping, whether its purely natural, ornamental or very refined.
curated content from Flickr
Jamaican Eco Tourism and Botanical Gardens
Here are the latest blog entries (according to Google) for Jamaican Eco Tourism and Botanical Gardening. Check out the latest word on what's going on.
Map of Jamaica
Jamaican Tourist Regions
Are you thinking about visiting Jamaica and trying to decide what part of the island to visit? Click on the following Jamaican areas to check out the botanical attractions for each region. Keep in mind though that Jamaica is a relatively small island. Going from Negril to Montego Bay is no big deal. Within St. Ann's Parish, you've got all the attractions there, as well as being a stone's throw from both Montego Bay and Ocho Rios.
Indigenous Jamaican Plants
Gardenguides.com has published a listing of Jamaica's native plants. Although all these flickr photos were not taken in Jamaica, the plants shown are native to Jamaica.
curated content from Flickr
Jamaican Orchids on Amazon
Jamaica boasts a dizzying array of indigenous orchids. Purchase your own orchid plants online at Amazon.
Great Home and Great Hall Gardens
Whether on a spooky tour of Montego Bay's Great Rose Hall, walking the grounds of Devon House in Kingston, or visiting the Bellefield Great Hall in Montego Bay, a trip to a Jamaican Great House gives you a view of formal, manicured gardens in Jamaica.
curated content from Flickr
Local Horticular Flavor
Some images of Jamaican horticulture prevail throughout the island. The "Shrimp" Plant. Mangroves. Ginger Flowers. Here are a few images displaying local flavor.
curated content from Flickr
Negril
- The Royal Palm Preserve is home to over 114 species of plants and offers hiking, horseback riding, birdwatching, fishing and weddings.
- Mayfield Falls features 2 waterfalls, 21 natural pools for swimming, 52 fern varieties.
Royal Palm Reserve
Negril
You have to dig a little to find information on Negril's Royal Palm Reserve. At one time they had a website, but its been taken over by one of those 'spammy' landing pages that has nothing at all to do with the facility. Tripadvisor reviews of the Royal Palm Reserve are mixed, with the bad review stating the park is rundown and not worth the money. The lack of a website would indicate this in my opinion. Negril Travel Guide offers a bit of explanation: The Royal Palm Reserve is located within the Negril Great Morass. It offers a museum and a boardwalk trail through the swamp morass. The slideshow taken at the Royal Palm Reserve looks like a pleasant enough nature trip.Watch the video. I wouldn't mind going there!
curated content from YouTube
Mayfield Falls
The River Walk
Mayfield Falls is located in Glenbrook, Jamaica (an hour's drive east from Negril or an hour and a half southwest from Montego Bay). On the riverwalk tour, you cross a bamboo bridge to visit natural jacuzzis, waterfalls, and a riverside feast in a thatched-roof hut. Drive through sugar cane fields on the way to Mayfield Falls.curated content from YouTube
Negril Tweets
What's going on in Negril? Who's going there? Check out the latest Negril news from Twitter.
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- createdinjam
- Breezes Grand Resort, Negril - location of our Jamaica Wedding! http://t.co/EKnjYcln
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- slangteez
- Get ready for Negril Weekend shirts!!! The designer is already working on them! Tweet sum design you would like to see for negril weekend!
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- VisitJamaicaNow
- #4Jamaicans: Save 26-50% at Grand Palladium Lady Hamilton/Jamaica Resort this year with 'Experience Jamaica' promotion http://t.co/OOHjwZF0
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- MrDakaration
- Please rt (http://t.co/E77BU0aU ) - MARCO POLO in NEGRIL on AUG 5th [ @LawlessEvents ] <-- RSVP HERE
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- MrDakaration
- Please ReTweet (http://t.co/E77BU0aU ) - MARCO POLO in NEGRIL on AUG 5th [ @LawlessEvents ] <-- Guest List
automatically generated by Twitter
Negril Flights
Look for flights into Negril and start off on the West side of the island.
Montego Bay
Rocklands Bird Sanctuary
Montego Bay (Anchovy)
A quick search of YouTube for 'Rocklands Bird Sanctuary' offers many home-movies of people hand-feeding Doctor birds and hummingbirds. The "HouseJeanie" site offers a review of a trip to Rocklands Bird Sanctuary, saying "We were only there for about a half an hour to an hour but it made our trip to Jamaica successful."John and Helen Baines give us some excellent reviews and photos in their piece about Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. This reports assures that Rocklands is only 5 miles away, taking just 1/2 hour by taxi to get there!
curated content from YouTube
Birding In Jamaica
While visiting Jamaica's Botanical Gardens and Eco-Tourism centers, you're sure to come across many birds whether you intend to or not!
curated content from Flickr
Lethe Estate
in Hanover, Montego Bay
Lethe Estate offers mountain views, horseback riding, swimming in the Great River, fishing and plantation & great house tours.The owners of Lethe Estate also operate "Mountain Valley River Rafting" if you are interested in a relaxing raft ride down the river. Lethe Estate is also home to "Rhea's World" which includes botanical gardens, a small zoo, water garden and a banana plantation tour.
curated content from YouTube
Montego Bay Tweets
Whats going on in Montego Bay and who's going there? Tweets from the Rocklands Bird Sanctuary can't even drown out these Twitter tweets on Montego Bay!
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- Kareyxa38
- Montego Bay Ottoman - Wicker... http://t.co/87mcgtWq
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- broadwaylove
- The starfish at Montego Bay! http://t.co/drIxFXhu
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- BhadHunBrittz
- @Ignorant_Dontai Oh , Yu know what part ? & my people in Montego Bay ! 😌
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- godfredayisa
- Watch out for Montego Bay... With Albert, Davida, Victoria, Pat, Lomo & Karen... Monte Carlo is truly a pub to visit. http://t.co/YOnjNNQ4
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- TravelerSingle
- #Jamaica Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay Adults Only All-Inclusive from $258 USD: Secrets Wild Orchid Mon... http://t.co/D08QCJoM #Hotel
automatically generated by Twitter
Ocho Rios
- Coyaba River Garden and Museum features the Mahoe Falls, Jamaican-Spanish architecture, a lookout point over Ocho Rios Bay, a water garden, an island history museum, Banyan and Cedar trees and a natural aquarium.
- Rainforest Trams Mystic Mountain lets you fully experience Ocho Rios scenery with aerial trams, ziplining, gravity-powered bobsledding from Dunn's River Falls to Mystic Mountain and view's of Jamaica's north coast including St. Ann's valleys.
- Shaw Park Gardens has 25 acres of lush, tropical scenery and a waterfall. Originally a sugar cane plantation, it began exporting oranges to New Orleans in 1892 and is now a botanical garden.
- Turtle River Park was reclaimed recently from its use as a bus station and now features gazebos, a pond stocked with fish & turtles and flower beds.
Coyaba River Garden and Museum
Ocho Rios
The Coyaba River Garden and Museum has its own website. The Mahoe Falls are lovely and feature some photos of the falls as well as lobster-claw heliconia and ginger flowers. Coyaba River Garden and Museum even offers a 3-bedroom villa with a swimming pool and view of the Bay of Ocho Rios.The word Coyaba means "paradise" in the Arawak language.
curated content from YouTube
Mystic Mountain
Ocho Rios
Rainforest Trams covers over 100 acres of land, from near Dunns River Falls to the peak of Mystic Mountain. This eco-friendly tourist attraction features: Sky Lift Explorer, Bobsled Jamaica and Tranopy. The Mystic Mountain "Railway Station" has a lookout tower offering fine views of the surrounding locale.
curated content from YouTube
Shaw Park Gardens
Ocho Rios
Shaw Park Gardens covers 25 acres, featuring a waterfall and many flowers. The property was originally built in 1821 to produce sugar cane, but was converted for exporting oranges to New Orleans in 1892. The property's Great House was transformed into a resort boasting 40 rooms in 1940.Guided tours of the property are provided daily between 8am and 4pm. Complete wedding and picnic services are both provided at Shaw Park Gardens. You can also stay at the resort which is located in the gardens and only a 10-minute drive from the ocean.
curated content from YouTube
Turtle River Park
Ocho Rios
Fly to Ocho Rios
Fly into Jamaica's northern coast and start your sightseeing from Ocho Rios.
St. Ann's Parish
Discovery Bay, Runaway Bay, St. Ann's
Enchanted Gardens and Aviary
St. Ann's Bay
The Enchanted Gardens has its own website. It boasts numerous natural wonders including: 14 cascading waterfalls, a natural spring-fed pool, large walk-in aviary of tropical birds, lily pond, koi pond, flower gardens. The Enchanted Gardens and Aviary also features a tropical swimming pool with a swim-up bar.
curated content from YouTube
Guided Tour through Cranbrook Flower Forest
Runaway Bay
Check out the official website for the Cranbrook Flower Forest and River Head Adventure Trail. This site offers wading in the Little River, bird watching, nature walks, pond fishing, volleyball and a children's play area.
curated content from YouTube
Castleton Gardens
St. Mary
Castleton Gardens was established by an English botanist with help from London's Kew Gardens. Swimming is available in the Wag River. St. Ann's Bay Tweets
Kingston
Cinchona Botanical Gardens
St. Andrew
Forres Park's website recommends a trip to the Cinchona Botanical Gardens. This trip has an hour from Forres Park in an ATV, followed by a hike to Cinchona Botanical Gardens. Check out these photos!
Limetreefarm gives us a great photo set from Cinchona gardens and more through flickr.com. In fact, Lime Tree Farm offers day trips to Cinchona Gardens.
Hope Gardens
Kingston
- cactus garden
- orchid house
- ornamental pond
- "Palm Avenue" of Sago Palms
- greenhouses
- forest garden
- bougainvillea walk
- zoo
- fountains
- lily pond
- plant nursery
Hope Botanical Gardens is the largest botanic garden in the Caribbean.
The Royal Botanical Gardens at Hope span 230 acres. 200 acres of the current property were set aside in 1880 to plant and test crops such as pineapple, cocoa, coffee and tobacco.
Staff from Kew Gardens in England arrived at Hope Gardens to lay out 60 acres of land as a "formal" garden. Queen Elizabeth's visit to the Hope Botanical Gardens in the 1950s prompted her to allow the garden to call itself the "Royal Botanic Gardens."
curated content from YouTube
Serenity Park
St. Catherine
This beautiful slideshow of images taken at Guardsman Serenity Park in Bushy Park, St. Catherine, Jamaica gives a good feel of the color, birds, flowers and landscapes you'll find there. This fishing and wildlife sanctuary starts off giving you a tractor ride through mango orchards and vegetable plots to finish to the "animal collection", featuring exotic birds and a petting zoo.Spring Village also showcases a history of Guardsman Serenity Park along with scans of the brochures.
Waterfalls and Offroading in Holywell
This 300-acre park sitting at 3,500 ft. above sea level is the gateway to the Blue and John Crow mountains. Getting to Holywell takes a 90-minute drive from Kingston. There are 4 hiking areas within the park as well as picnic areas and a "Kids Discovery Zone". The region is home to both the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly and the Jamaican Boa Constrictor. England's Prince Charles has visited Holywell Park and inquired about the invasive wild ginger plant as well as efforts made to reforest the park after damage caused by several recent hurricanes.
curated content from YouTube
Kingston Tweets
What action is going on in Kingston, Jamaica? Catch the latest island tweets about Kingston.
Jamaican Trees
Create your own Jamaican forest preserve
Typical trees in Jamaica include the Royal Palm, Wild Lime, Cedar, Oak, Mahogany and Jamaican Dogwood. Choosing appropriate trees to plant in your garden can make your Jamaican oasis more authentic.
Fern Gulley Road
Fern Gully, close to Ocho Rios, is 4 kilometres of road flanked by many species of ferns on both sides and canopied by tall trees meeting overhead and filtering out most of the sun. A cool rain forest condition ensues. While this is not a public garden, it is a botanical wonder.
Love Palm Trees?
Tropical palm tree decor
No matter what season you're in or what part of the world, bring some palm trees into your life with these housewares.
Cheap Flights To Jamaica
Check Hotwire.com
The Best Way To See Jamaica
By land or by sea
You can visit Jamaica either by cruising an itinerary that includes ports-of-call in Jamaica and arranging for trips through the cruise ship or you can fly directly in to Jamaica and stay at a resort on the island. Which is your preferred way to see Jamaica and why?
Lensmaster
CruiseReady wrote...
I like seeing Jamaica by Cruise ship - well... because I like seeing just about anywhere in the Caribbean while cruising. We truly enjoyed our time at Ocho Rios on a couple of occasions, especially Dunns River Falls, Fern Gully, and a ride through the surrounding country with an excellent local guide. We also did some excerllent snorkeling there, in a place frequented by locals, which I doubt we would have found without th help of our guide... it wasn't a place the ship tours go
Posted January 08, 2011
Sources Sited
- Jamaicans.com - Destinations
- Reviews of many of the smaller parks around Jamaica.
- Jamaica's Botanical Gardens
- Bath, Castleton, Cinchona and Hope Botanical Gardens are reviewed. Gardens listed are: The Enchanted Gardens, Coyaba River Garden & Museum, Craighton House Estate, Shaw Park Gardens, Martin's Hill Orchid Sanctuary, Forres Park, Serenity Park Fishing & Wildlife Sanctuary and Hinton East Gardens are covered at this link.
- Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries - Public Gardens and Avenues
- Bath Botanical Gardens, Castleton Gardens, Cinchona Gardens, Hope Gardens, Fern Gulley and Holland Bamboo Grove are all discussed at this site published by Jamaica's Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries.
- Jamaica National Heritage Trust
- The Jamaica National Heritage Trust include information on the following botanical gardens and national parks: Cinchona Botanical Garden, Hope Botanical Garden, Clydesdale National Forest Park, Holywell National Park, National Heroes Park, St. William Grant Park, Claude Stewart Park, Seville Heritage Park, Bath Botanical Garden, Independence Park, Castleton Botanical Garden, Blue Mountains and Long Mountain.
Vacation in Jamaica for Cheap
Would you love a holiday to Jamaica, but think its just not within your budget? Check out a travel auction site and see if you can get a good bid on a Jamaican holiday or cruise with a port of call in Jamaica.
More Caribbean Floral Memories
Flowers throughout the Caribbean and Caribbean-themed floral arrangements
Have a look at more of the flowers found throughout all of the Caribbean Islands and even purchase Caribbean-themed flower arrangements. Everything you need to know is on these other lenses I've put together on Squidoo.
More Books on Jamaican Gardens
If this lens has whet your appetite for Jamaican sightseeing or Jamaican gardening, you can check these reference books available on Amazon.com.
Contact this page's author or leave a comment
How does your Jamaican Garden grow?
Have you ever visited gardens in Jamaica? Are you planning a trip there? Maybe you're just visiting this lens for inspiration in your own tropical garden design. Whatever the reason for your visit, please leave your feedback here.
Contact Laura Schofield
*If you would like to suggest any links or have your own photos and / or stories published, please send me an email. I can be contacted through my personal homepage, laura-schofield.com. If you enjoy the work I've done here, I do offer professional copy writing, photo restoration / manipulation, search engine optimization and web design services. I can again be contacted for any of these services through my website.
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Bella_Stella
Apr 4, 2011 @ 5:18 am | delete
- Wow! Jamaica has always been a dreamy destination for me? I loved your lens!!!
I am currently trying to complete a project with the museums of Greece. I would appreciate it if you stopped there for a while leaving your opinion comments and it would be very important for me if you liked it. Here is my lens http://www.squidoo.com/delphi-museum .
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WorldVisionary
Mar 16, 2011 @ 9:41 pm | delete
- What a gorgeous lens! Blessed by a Squid Angel
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CruiseReady Jan 8, 2011 @ 10:48 am | delete
- Wwhat a beautiful lens ... I can't tell you how much I enjoyed it! Of course, I am lensrolling this one!
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Swisstoons
Jun 25, 2010 @ 5:20 pm | delete
- You've put together a beautiful lens, Laura! The Jamaica Tourist Bureau should put you on their payroll. :) I've given you some stars and favorited this. I've never been to Jamaica, but you've sure made it look extra inviting.
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Share These Jamaican Tourism Ideas
I didn't know about them before publishing this lens!
If you really enjoyed this lens you should nominate it for a Lens of the Day award. If it wins, this lens will be prominently displayed on Squidoo for a day. And just think how many people might get introduced to the idea of Jamaican Botanical Gardens. Jamaican tourism might even get so popular as to be featured on more sales and cruise itineraries! So go on and make everyone happy - share this lens!
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Can't rate this lens or nominate it because you're not yet a member of Squidoo?
If you're not yet a member of Squidoo, you can sign up and get started with the Squidoo community right here. Go on, its addictive (in a good way)!
by LauraSchofield
Laura Schofield is a web developer, computer programmer, freelance journalist and mother to four children. She writes on a wide variety of subjects, from... more »
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