One of the most visited attractions in Mauritius is probably the Seewoosagur Botanic Garden. It is located in the small town Pamplemousses, half an hours drive north of the capital Port Louis. This is some of the photos I took when I was visiting Mauritius some years ago.
The garden hasn't always been a public botanical garden. When it opened almost 300 years ago, it was a small, private garden initiated by the French govenor in Mauritius. As time has passed it has developed to become one of the most well developed botanical gardens in the Southern Hemisphere and also the oldest. Before the 1980s the name was Pamplemousses Botanical Garden. Then the name was changed and renamed after the first prime minister in Mauritius - Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. He was the leader of the Independent Movement at the time when Mauritius was still British. (Mauritius gained independency in 1968). Therefore the garden is often referred to as SSR Botanical Garden.
The garden contains more than 650 various plants. Among these are the giant water lillies - the Victoria amazonica. Maybe the most popular plant in the garden. But there are so many more, including a large amount of medical plants.
It's not just flowers you will find here. There are 85 different species variety of palm trees, the Baobab, Geiger trees etc. They do not all originate in Mauritius. They were brought to the island from places around the world. Apart from the birds, you will meet turtles and deers as well.
You can easily spend hours here, as the garden stretces over a large area. You probably won't be able to see all of it in just one visit, but study the map an booklet you get at the entrance. Then plan what you want to see.
It's also possible to hire a guide at the entrance A guide knows the garden well and can provide information about the plants and the history. I have been here several times and always by myselfs. It gives me the opportunity to take time to take photos, even I am not a botanist or have any special interest in plants, I still think it's a beautiful garden with excotic plants - at least to me who lives in the Northern Hemisphere.
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U.J
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All the photoes are mine, Ulla Jensen (flickr, Instagram and facebook)
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