Although a primary purpose of “Under the Solano Sun” blog is to focus on gardening in our own Solano County, we gardeners do love to explore the flora of other areas, whether in Northern California or much farther afield. I enjoy reading others' accounts of their “garden travels,“ and making a mental note of the gardens I'd like to visit someday if I am so fortunate. Nonetheless, I debated whether to write about the Belize Botanic Gardens (BBG) because, well, it is in Belize and is more than a bit off the beaten path. But I was so pleased with the BBG, that I thought I would share my experiences in case someone else has the opportunity to visit.

The BBG is located in the mountainous western part of Belize, about 10 miles west of San Ignacio. When the land was first purchased in 1993 by an amateur botanist, Ken DuPlooy (who started the adjacent DuPlooy's Jungle Lodge where we stayed), it was a severely eroded cattle pasture. Mr. DuPlooy started a collection of orchids and exotic tropical fruit trees and in 1997 the garden was registered as the Belize Botanic Garden. It has been transformed into a wonderful 45-acre garden of exotic and native plants.

According to the BBG's website, its main work is to protect the floral diversity of Belize and to encourage sustainable agriculture, maintain conservation collections, and engage in conservation education. The BBG has undertaken various education and conservation-oriented programs, including a grant-funded Professional Gardeners' Training Program that provides several levels of horticultural training.

The BBG offers guided and self-guided tours. I took the self-guided tour, which was well-marked, carefully laid out, well-maintained, and comprehensive. Highlights included the Native Orchid House, plants of the Maya used for rituals, medicine, and daily living, and a 25-foot tall fire tower that afforded beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, at that time of year (summer), the orchids were not in bloom, but I enjoyed wandering the meandering trails through plantings of ginger and heliconia, and spice trees such as cinnamon and nutmeg. (As at home, it took considerable restraint to avoid the tempting section with plants for sale!) The gardens were a wonderful, and educational, part of our visit to Belize.

http://belizebotanic.org