The Mauritius Botanical Garden was founded in 1735 by French governor Mahé de Labourdonnaie as a vegetable garden for growing vegetables and spices. Over time, the garden has become a collection of tropical plants from all over the world. The park is currently named after Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam, the first prime minister of independent Mauritius.
The symbol of the garden is the giant water lily (Victoria amazonica), which can reach a diameter of 2 metres.
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
The park also has historical buildings, a small animal nursery and many rare plant species: rare palms, bamboo groves, ebony and breadfruit trees, baobabs, nutmeg and clove trees. Some plants in the park may not seem so rare to you, such as cinnamon, but it does not grow naturally in Africa, so such plants are indeed rare for Africa.
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
There is a monument in the park. We thought it was one of the founders, but it turned out to be Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, a French writer, naturalist and traveller. He is known as the author of the novel Paul et Virginie, which extols nature, especially islands, the sea and the tropics.
Sir Sivusagur Ramgoolam Botanical Garden ©Yuriy Buriak
Getting there: easiest by car or taxi, parking available
-20.104361, 57.580222.