Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradeniya, Botanical garden in Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
The Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya is a botanical garden covering roughly 60 hectares (147 acres) near Kandy, home to more than 4,000 plant species from tropical and subtropical regions. Palms, orchids, bamboo and medicinal plants fill several themed areas linked by paths that wind through open lawns and shaded forest sections.
The garden was founded in 1843 as a botanical station by the British colonial administration on the site of an old royal pleasure garden used by earlier Kandyan rulers. Later the site became a center for tropical plant research in South Asia, gathering species from across the region.
The National Herbarium houses 1.2 million plant specimens, contributing to scientific research while serving as a center for environmental education and botanical conservation.
The entrance lies roughly 6 kilometers (just under 4 miles) west of central Kandy and opens daily from early morning to late afternoon. Wide paths make walking easy, though some areas are hilly or uneven.
A long avenue of royal palms lines the main entrance path, forming a natural canopy of tall, slender trunks. These palms were planted in the 19th century and have since become a landmark of the garden.
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