No visit to Kandy is complete without seeing the Royal Botanical gardens at Peradeniya, 6.5km south from the town, on the Colombo road. Its origins go back to the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-80) when it was a royal residence and park. It formally became a botanical garden in 1821 when the redoubtable Edward Barnes was governor. The firs tea seedling garden in 1821 when the Ceylon were planted in the gardens at Barnes’ behest in 1824, although it was 50 years later that tea showed its potential as a viable commercial crop.
The gardens consist of nearly 150 acres dedicated to the flora of Sri Lanka with a spectacular arboretum that includes many endemic trees. There are over 110 endemic plants, as well as major collections of palms, bamboo, cacti, flowers and orchids in a delightful orchid house. There are more than 200,000 dried and preserved specimens in the Herbarium, collected during the 180 years the gardens have been in existence. There is also a biotechnology laboratory engaged in the mass propagation of ornamental, rare and endemic plants, a striking feature is the avenue of royal palms (Roystonea regia) begun in 1905. In the medicinal herb garden grow some of the herbs used in ayurveda medicine.
The entire area of the gardens is embraced by the Mahaweli River, curving around it like an elbow. Ata an altitude of 550m it has a mean temperature of around 20C. to avoid the heat of the day, the best time to visit the garden is between 08.30 and 10.00, or in the afternoon from 16.00. There’s a fine collection of orchids and a stately avenue of royal palms that was planted in 1950. A major attraction is the giant Javan fig tree on the great lawn. Covering 2500 sq metres, it’s like a giant, living geodesic dome as imagined by Escher or Hundertwasser. A few lingering crows add a slightly sinister touch. Cannonball trees and cabbage palms punctuate a couple of the elegant avenues, and the avenue of double coconut palms (coco de mer) has massive fruit up to 20kg. In the spice garden near the entrance, see nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves without a salesperson looking over your shoulder. Nearby, the snake creeper is also worth a look. Seek out the giant bamboo and Assam rubber trees, and also take a closer look at the memorial trees, an interesting grab bag of trees planted by the famous and slightly less famous. Consider the trees’ different growth rates with the historical legacy of those who planted them.
On weekends and holidays the gardens are packed with romantically inclined local tourists and it can be hard to move without tripping over yet another canoodling young couple!
If food is more a priority than love then you’ll find an overpriced cafeteria (mains Rs 550 to 1000) about 500m north of the entrance, serving Western and Sri Lankan food on a roofed veranda. A better option is to stock up on picnic items. Just keep a close eye on the insistent posse of local dogs. Busses from Kandy’s clock tower bus stop goes to the gardens. A three-wheeler from Kandy is around Rs 700 return. Many taxi drivers incorporate a visit to the gardens with the Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage or the Kandy temple loop.
