Sri Lanka is a tropical island that is abundant in flora and fauna. Travellers to this island who wish to be immersed in exotic smells and sights would enjoy Hakgala Botanical Gardens, in Badulla. Flower and plant enthusiasts are popular visitors to this botanical garden attracting over 500,000 a year. Hakgala Botanical Gardens houses over 10,000 species of flora and is located approximately 10 kilometres from Nuwara Eliya. Although Nuwara Eliya is around 168 kilometres from Colombo, the drive up to this lovely hill country is spectacular. Be sure to check out a car rental in Sri Lanka that has reliable and efficient cars like Casons Rent a Car, as it’s a long drive to Nuwara Eliya, mostly surrounded by tea estates.
The Hakgala Gardens founded in 1860 and known to be the second largest gardens in Sri Lanka is quite popular for its abundance of roses and orchids. As the gardens are located in a Nuwara Eliya, the temperatures are cooler than anywhere else on the island, which makes a peaceful stroll through the gardens.
Much of the garden lies under the shade of the Hakgala Rock, which takes the shape of an elephant’s jawbone. The Fernery located on the rock homes ferns from the local lands, Australia and New Zealand. Enjoy the colourful sights of neatly arranged flowers and well-manicured lawns of fresh green grass as you enjoy a lovely walk in the gardens; breathe in the fresh clean air or take shade under the towering magnificent trees that have been rooted here since its establishment.
The ideal time to visit Hakgala Botanical Gardens are when the flowers are at full bloom, with a vivid display of roses, foliage and other annual flowers springing to life. Spread over 28 hectares, the garden was built on different paths which spread up the slope of the Hakgala Rock. Located adjacent to the gardens is the Hakgala Strict Nature Reserve; an isolated cloud forest, which is home to a number of species of fauna and flora.
Intrigued by history, art and food, Lavinia Woolf is a writer who is passionate about the extraordinary and writes of the exhilarating and enchanting. Google+