Established in 1779, the Bath Botanical Gardens are believed to be the second oldest in the Western Hemisphere. The lush gardens aren't in the best shape these days, but they're still very special. As you wander through the gardens, you'll see tropical flowers like the croton, bougainvillea, and jacaranda. You can also find cinnamon, ackee, apples, jackfruit, and breadfruit growing here too.
The garden is open year-round and attracts both local visitors and tourists. This place is a magical green oasis you can definitely spend an entire afternoon getting lost in.
A lot of the botanical gardens in Jamaica were once former plantations, and that's certainly the case for Castleton Gardens. Castleton Gardens was donated to the Jamaican government in 1869 so it could be an area to preserve new plants that had been introduced to the island. In the past, it has been home to a number of species of plants you can find at the famous Royal Kew Gardens in England. Because of the weather and hurricanes, there aren't as many plants and palms now, but it's still home to the most palm trees anywhere in the Western Hemisphere.
Enjoy a picnic outdoors under towering palm trees or wander through the garden, which was once home to over 180 species of palms and 400 specimens of other flora. It'll be hard to explore the entirety of the 15-acre garden in one day, but as you stroll along the Wag Water River, which borders it on one side, you'll get an eyeful of breathtaking beauty.
Exploring the botanical gardens in Jamaica, you'll come across hundreds of different kinds of plant species that have become an integral part of the lives of the Jamaican people. You'll be able to explore lush landscapes filled with beautiful flowers, offering the perfect place to sit back, relax and truly be one with nature. Traveling through one of these gardens is such a unique way to experience the island of Jamaica while exploring the Caribbean.
Fortunately, most of these gardens are simply a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Ocho Rios port, embark on an adventure, book a Jamaican cruise today, and create your vacation voyage.