Let's take a tour of the Botanic Park. We'll start with a map, so you don't get lost
amidst the lush foliage.

The Queen Elizabeth II Monument

After entering the Park and paying CI$8 (US$10) for each admission (with children 12
and under admitted free with a parent), you will pass the Queen Elizabeth II Monument, composed of stone from a local quarry, studded with fossil shells, and framed
by a stand of Siver Thatch palms, the national tree whose frond is the Park’s logo.

The Visitors’ Centre

Past the monument is the parking area that positions you only steps away from the
Visitors’ Centre, a two-story Caymanian style building with a wide, welcoming verandah. Inside is a gift shop where you can pick up a free Woodland Trail Guide, containing useful information and a map of the Park. From there you are welcome to stroll into a verdant courtyard graced with orchids and tropical plants surrounding a water feature crossed
via dramatically arranged stepping stones.

The Heritage Garden

Moving away from the Visitors’ Centre, the main path leads to the Heritage Garden
where a pretty pink, traditional-style cottage, surrounded by a white sand garden,
depicts how life was lived in the Cayman Islands in the early 20th century.
This area includes fruit trees, traditional crops, medicinal plants, and a separate
“caboose” or “cook room.

The Floral Colour Garden

Further along the main path lies the Floral Colour Garden. Designed as a series of gardens arranged by colour, the Floral Colour Garden is a year-round explosion of hues. A walkway meanders through sections of pink, red, orange, yellow, white, blue, mauve, and lavender. Rising from the midst of this brilliant profusion is a stately gazebo perched atop a peaceful lily pond. This gazebo is a favorite centerpiece for weddings and intimate brunches.

The Lake

Returning to and continuing along the main path, you’ll next encounter the Park’s
two-acre lake and its adjacent wetlands. This tranquil oasis encompasses three small islands that offer a habitat and breeding area for the native birds and attract bird-watchers from around the world. Tri-coloured Herons, Common Moorhen, Green Herons,
Black-necked Stilts, American Coots, Blue-winged Teal, Cattle Egrets and rare
West Indian Whistling Ducks are just a few of the winged beauties that frequent
this section of the Park

The Woodland Trail

The path doesn’t really end, but instead links to the famous Woodland Trail. It’s said
that a walk around the Woodland Trail is a walk around Cayman. In just under a mile,
the landscape changes every few hundred yards from wetland to cactus thicket,
logwood swamp to humid epiphyte woodland, dry thickets on scant soil to tall woodland
with impressive Mahogany trees.

The depth and type of soil, the water table elevation, the salinity of the groundwater, the history of human activity, and the nature of the surface rock are just some of the factors
that control the patterns of natural vegetation along the Trail.

The Blue Iguana Habitat

Along the Woodland Trail lies the Blue Iguana Habitat, which is the centre for the
National Trust’s Blue Iguana Recovery Program. The National Trust of the Cayman Islands began its work with these intriging creatures soon after its formation in 1987,
with an ultimate repopulation goal of 1000. The Habitat has become an exceptionally
popular area as the captive breeding grounds for these fascinating reptiles
(Cyclura nubila lewisi) who only two decades ago were facing extinction.
Frequently found freely roaming the grounds of the Park, these “blue dragons”
delight both local and foreign visitors who happen upon them.

Points of Reference...

Well, that ends the tour of the Park, but you may enjoy sharing some of the following
nature-related points of reference:

• Orchids at the Park
  In addition to an array of breathtaking orchid species, the Botanic Park is home
  to four orchid species that can be found nowhere else on the planet, including Cayman’s national flower, the Wild Banana Orchid (Myrmecophila Thomsoniana).
  An annual Orchid Show is held at the Park in concert with the Cayman Islands Orchid Society to provide both an exhibition of locally grown orchids and a plant sale of specially imported orchids. The event also offers gardeners educational opportunities
  to learn techniques for successfully growing these beautiful, but fragile flowers.
   
• The Virtual Herbarium
  In concert with the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Botanical Research Center,
  the entire Herbarium of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands has been
  made available online. This searchable index includes a high-resolution photo of
  each specimen, its island locale, and a field description.
   
• Butterflies at the Park
  Butterflies are undoubtedly among the most delicate and awe-inspiring features of nature. Developed by Joanne Mercille, this portion of the website includes the names and photograph of the various butterfly specimens that grace the Cayman Islands.

Operating Hours:
October to March: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., last admission at 4:30 p.m.
April to September: 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., last admission at 5:30 p.m.
(Closed on Christmas and Good Friday)