Dr. Rafael Ma. Moscoso National Botanical Garden, National botanical garden in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Dr. Rafael Ma. Moscoso National Botanical Garden is a large public space in Santo Domingo designed to display the island's diverse plant life across different ecological zones. The site is organized into distinct sections, each representing different environments found throughout the Dominican Republic, allowing visitors to walk through varied landscapes all in one location.
The garden opened in 1976 and was named after Rafael Maria Moscoso, a botanist who compiled the first comprehensive catalog of plants found on Hispaniola. Its creation grew from the desire to preserve and share Moscoso's extensive knowledge of the island's flora for future study and education.
The place holds special importance for Dominicans as a repository of their island's plant heritage and a center for learning about local biodiversity. Visitors can observe how the garden serves researchers and educators working to document and understand the region's botanical diversity.
The site is accessible daily to the public with pathways that lead through the different plant sections, making it easy to navigate the grounds. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes and allow several hours to explore the various sections, as the space is sizable and rewards a leisurely pace.
At the entrance stands a large floral clock made from living flowers with moving hands that actually mark the time. This working piece of garden art combines timekeeping with natural materials in an unexpected way that surprises most visitors.
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