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Advantages: beautiful and tranquil Disadvantages: none
A short bus ride from the centre of town in Inverleith, the 'Botanics' (as Edinburgh's BotanicGardens) is known locally is a green and lush haven that is well worth a visit. Even in its busiest periods you can lose yourself in its verdant nooks and crannies amongst exotic blooms. The air is fresh in this, its latest location (originally founded in 1670 it occupied sites near Holyrood Palace and on the road to Leith before moving to its latest, greenest pasture in 1820.)
When the sun shines simply wander through its extensive outdoor gardens where thousands of plant species flourish. 'The Botanics' is the second richest plant collection in the world (after Kew Gardens, which it is older than) and contains examples of just under 10% of all known flora. This gives it an important global role in maintaining biodiversity. But for me this ...
Advantages: Plenty to see, a relaxing escape from the city. Disadvantages: Expensive for a one-off visit. Disappointing restaurant.
Every city need its green spaces. The architecture may be spectacular and the shops fantastic, but finding a place to escape the traffic and bustle is a necessity for most city dwellers. Picture Birmingham and what do you see? The Bullring, New Street Station and Spaghetti Junction would be the first things that come to my mind. Although I've never lived in Birmingham itself, I worked there for several years. During that time I went to the BotanicalGardens regularly, but for the purposes of this review I will focus on my most recent visit which was August 2008.
A Brief History
Celebrity gardeners are not a new phenomenon. In the nineteenth century J.C Loudon was an influential writer on gardening and became part of London's high society. He designed the Birmingham BotanicalGardens in 1830 to provide a place where keen ...
Advantages: Peaceful and colourful stop, very lush Disadvantages: Few.
Like several others of the Windward Islands chain, St Lucia was formerly mainly divided into plantations and plantations principally grew sugar (now the main crop is bananas, although tourism is the main source of income).
The plantations may have gone but often their names live on (like Sandy Lane in Barbados) and Soufriere is the former plantation in St Lucia which is the home of the St Lucia BotanicalGardens (also known at the Diamond BotanicalGardens).
(Side note: If Soufriere sounds French, it is: St Lucia was changed hands repeatedly between the French and the British, belonging to each of the warring nations a total of 7 times each).
Soufriere Plantation was part of a land grant by King Louis XIV and it is the descendants of the Devaux family, to whom the land was granted, who still own the land and who therefore own ...
