| Although all of Jamaica is a plush, vibrant explosion of | | | | located far from the crowded Jamaica resorts in a |
| tropical plant beauty, nonetheless the Ultimate | | | | quaint village of sagging historic houses which |
| Jamaica All Inclusive Experience just has to contain a | | | | formerly boasted a fashionable spa with a hot |
| visit to one of Jamaica's extraordinary arboretums. | | | | springs. These springs were originally enjoyed by the |
| Each of the four botanical gardens in Jamaica | | | | likes of seventeenth century pirate king Henry |
| possesses its own distinct aura, and each offers the | | | | Morgan. Entering Bath arboretum's Victorian style iron |
| visitor a unique experience. The botanical garden | | | | entrance gate, the visitor is immediately struck by |
| which is easiest to reach is located in the center of | | | | the sentinels of royal palm trees, Christmas palm |
| Kingston. Hope Gardens evokes photographs on | | | | from Philippines, Ylang ylangs from Indonesia, two |
| picture postcards of a 1950's public park - gracious | | | | aged, tropical dragon blood trees, and a 230-year old |
| and faintly suburban and filled with exotic as well as | | | | Barringtonia asiatica. The collection of breadfruit trees |
| local favorites such as marigolds and lantana. | | | | are descended from the original 346 trees brought |
| Castleton Gardens, on the other hand, is glamorously | | | | by Captain William Bligh from Tahiti; and since |
| reminiscent of the golden age of tourism in Jamaica | | | | breadfruit is propagated by clone rather than seed, |
| when millionaires arrived in their own yachts before | | | | most of the breadfruit trees throughout the |
| the island of Jamaica gave way to mass tourism. | | | | Caribbean are descendants of these trees. With its |
| Castleton Gardens is traversed on artfully cobbled | | | | fabulous tropical flower gardens Bath botanical garden |
| pathways which lead hither and yon, beneath high | | | | is a plant-lovers' paradise. |
| palm canopies and dangling orchid streamers. | | | | Cinchona Gardens is located at the top of Jamaica, at |
| Castleton Gardens is renowned for its terraced, | | | | an altitude of 5000 feet, and no all inclusive in Jamaica |
| tropical ebullience dotted here and there with | | | | vacation should miss seeing this fabulous attraction. |
| ornamental ponds. | | | | Clouds boil up from the green, far-away, lower |
| The Bath botanical garden was established in 1779 on | | | | tropical valleys. The Garden was originally conceived in |
| Jamaica's southeastern side. It is one of the oldest | | | | 1862 to be a 600-acre plantation of cinchona trees, |
| botanical gardens in the entire world. Its early | | | | from which the malaria medicine quinine is derived. |
| collections having been augmented during the | | | | When this production was pre-empted by the East |
| Anglo-French war by the capture of a French vessel | | | | Indies, the plan was changed to cultivating temperate |
| sailing from Mauritius which bore a cargo of foreign | | | | tropical plants. Upon entering Cinchona Gardens, you |
| fruit trees, brindonne, carambola, jackfruit, June | | | | are immediately confronted with enchanting, trimmed |
| plums, cinnamon and other spices. Bath botanical | | | | beds of begonias, daylilies, and geraniums. Wandering |
| garden's proudest collection is the breadfruit trees | | | | leisurely through the garden, the visitor is struck by |
| brought by Captain William Bligh from Tahiti in 1793, | | | | the forest of Japanese cedar conifers, and the Lost |
| on a second voyage after his first attempt was | | | | World boulevard of ferns. Its vastly diversified, high |
| foiled by the mutiny on his ship Bounty led by | | | | altitude collection makes a visit to Cinchona Gardens |
| Fletcher Christian. The Bath botanical garden is | | | | an unforgettable adventure. |