Caguas, Botanical and Cultural Garden
September 9th 2008 12:35
I want to invite you to my hometown; Caguas which decided to put these things together and opened the Botanical and Cultural Garden (Jardin Botanico y Cultural) in April 2007.
Caguas is a small city located about 30 minutes of South San Juan. The garden itself is situated on 60 acres, on the grounds of a former sugar mill. The Botanical and Cultural Garden of Caguas is a thematic park designed to educate the public on the Puerto Rican culture in relation to nature and tropical agriculture.
This is a large park. It has many paths that let you meander. Note that the paths are gravel, not paved, so it’s not too easy to use a wheelchair or stroller like me. There are many "special" areas designed to highlight aspects of Puerto Rican heritage and culture.
Probably the prettiest area is by the remains of the sugar mill. There are many beautiful large old trees and plantings. It has been vacant for years and as you walk around, you see how nature is taking over the ruins of the mill, making it a thing of beauty. The chimney of the refinery and many sugar cauldrons are there. Also, the foundations of the factory can be seen.
My favorite area is the reproduction of an old country house and kitchen garden. This is what many Puerto Rican people remember as grandfathers house or a typical Jibaro (poor country folk) house. It is simple wooden structure, with a large garden to help feed the family. If you go off the beaten path and up through the Puerto Rican countryside, you will still see a few of these houses, or similar ones, many in ruins and some still being used today.
They have some other areas where they highlight some of the influences that make up the Puerto Rican culture: the Taino Indian area and the African area. The Taino Indian area has replicas and sculptures of the indigenous people and their stone petroglyphs. It also has indigenous plantings. The African area has some fantastic sculptures and plants from many zones of Africa.
There is also an area where they have planted many trees in danger of extinction, to help protect them and to educate people of the importance of conservation of our natural resources. The garden has been planted with various flowering plants like heliconias, bromeliads, orchids and gingers and it even has a rose garden. It also has an area of palms and another of fruit trees. There is a mariposario (butterfly garden), but we haven’t seen any butterflies there lately! My mother said: “Soon!” There are a few lovely ponds, some with water lilies, some large enough to have peddle boats you can rent (on weekends).
There are clean bathrooms, a gift shop, book store, a food stand and sometimes a cart selling plants. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and sunscreen. No food not drinks permitted in, so no picnics.
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