Curepipe Botanic Gardens, Botanical garden in Curepipe, Mauritius.
Curepipe Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden in the highland town of Curepipe, Mauritius, centered around a river, a lake, and a Victorian gazebo. The grounds sit at an elevation that gives the area a notably cooler feel than the coastal parts of the island.
The garden was founded in 1870, when colonial authorities were looking for a place to grow plants that could not survive the heat of the coastal lowlands. Curepipe's higher ground turned out to be the right answer.
The garden bears the name of Sir Seewoosagar Ramgoolam, the first prime minister of Mauritius after independence, and signs across the grounds mark this tribute. The Victorian gazebo near the lake is one of the most recognizable features visitors tend to gather around.
The garden has two entrances, the main one on Botanical Garden Street at Les Casernes and a second one at Camp Caval. Comfortable walking shoes are a good idea since the paths cover a fair amount of ground.
The garden is home to the last known Hyophorbe amaricaulis palm in the world, a species that has disappeared everywhere else. Attempts to cross-fertilize it have not succeeded, so the tree now has its own security measures in place.
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