Palm trees line the main roadway like giant sentinels. Dark, mysterious lakes snakes their way through the green landscape. Manatees enjoy the sanitary of this dark opaque water. Birds fly overhead; some soaring majestically others darting from free to bush. Magnificent flowers decorate the terrain and strange rustling sounds come from the lush vegetation. Like a Sleeping Beauty this national treasure waits impatiently to be awakening; wait no more.Situated at the busy junctions of Vlissengen Road and Regent Street, just a stone’s throw away from the Office of the President of Guyana, lay the enchanting and perennial Botanical Gardens.

The oldest of our three Urban Parks, it came into existence in 1879. It now sits on 96 acres of diverse woodland.
Like the Zoological Park and the National Park this facility is ably managed by the proficient Protected Areas Commission (PAC). Popular for its Bandstand, Kissing Bridges and Flowering Shrubs, it is the venue of choices for wedding, picnics, concerts and other more discrete activated.
It houses the Seven Ponds and Mausoleum where two of our deceased presidents were laid to rest. Parts of its attraction are the Sun dial, Kissing Bridges, Manatees and Curator’s Lodge built in 1880.
Plans are in progress to transform the Garden into a nature showpiece that will give residents and visitors a chance to embrace nature, Guyanese style.
Emphasis will be on effective drainage and intensified security. New lights and a number of strategically placed Guard Huts will enhance security. The ring road around the Bandstand has already been upgraded. There is a swift developing ‘Comprehensive Waste Management Plan.’
Already a bird watchers’ paradise which is a sanctuary to more than 100 of the 800 species of birds found in Guyana. It is quickly developing into a Nature Tourism Hot Spot.
To the North of the Round-About is the rainforest-like ecosystem and to the South the Wetland Savannah ecosystem. These will be preserved as an illustration of our rich biodiversity.
A dam that still exists will be recovered, re-capped and used by visitors to journey deeper into the Gardens. There will be raised, all weather walkways and a beautiful fountain.
Two of the major features that will truly transform the Botanical Gardens and enrich the ‘Garden Experience’ for visitors are the man-made Island. Though man-made, it will have a dazzling array of flowers and a majestic waterfall.
Strategic distributions of raised platforms will undoubtedly be the highlight of the new look gardens. These platforms will be raised to tree level and furnished with benches. They it will offer visitors an aerial view of the natural landscape.
The oldest urban park with many old trees and artifacts will receive a huge dose of developmental input. It will rapidly be reshaped into a recreational facility without par.
Written By Neil Primus