The Virtual Herbarium

According to the CI Department of Environment, butterflies are important ecologically, as major pollinators of numerous species of native plants and trees.

Their bright colours and delicate nature also add an extra dimension to gardens and landscaping.

The Cayman Islands hosts five endemic subspecies of butterflies:

Cayman Brown Leaf Butterfly Memphis verticordia danielana (GC and LC)
Cayman Pygmy Blue Brephidium exilis thompsoni (GC only)
Cayman Lucas’s Blue Hemiargus ammon erembis (GC only)
Cayman Julia, Flambeau Dryas iulia zoe (all three islands)
Cayman Swallowtail Heraclides andraemon taylori (GC only)

How many butterfly species can you find while visiting our park?

The National Trust of the Cayman Islands began its work with these endangered 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 the reptiles (Cyclura lewisi) who only three decades ago were facing extinction.

Take a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands Blue Iguana Conservation (BIC) facility and get up close and personal with Cayman’s famous ‘Blue Dragon’.

Guided tours can be booked on request, perfect for all ages and an amazing photo opportunity of this rare and native reptile found nowhere else in the world! Contact [email protected]

For more information please contact the National Trust Office on 345.749.1121 or visit https://nationaltrust.org.ky/tours/

*Opening hours and fees are subject to change. Please contact the National Trust directly for bookings.

The Orchid boardwalk features our  local orchids and more. During summer period, visitors to the Botanic Park can see our Cayman’s National Flower; the Wild Banana Orchid / Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana is abundant in all natural areas of Grand Cayman. Other native orchids include: Pleurothallis caymanensis, Encyclia boothiana, Dendrophylax fawcettii, Tolumnia variegata, Prescottia oligantha, Prosthechea cochleata, Cyclopogon elatus, and Oeceoclades maculata.

The Annual Orchid Show promotes the conservation of Cayman’s native orchids. The event has also become an occasion for educating gardeners on the techniques of growing orchids.

The proceeds from the Show will go toward the establishment of an orchid garden in the Botanic Park.

Below is Dr. George Proctor’s list of orchids found on all three Cayman Islands; GC, CB, LC

Beloglottis costaricensis GC
Bletia florida GC
Brassavola nodosa GC
Cyclopogon cranichoides . GC
Cyclopogon elatus GC
Cyrtopodium punctatum GC
Dendrophylax fawcettii / Ghost Orchid Endemic GC
Dendrophylax porrectus GC
Eltroplectris calcarata GC
Encyclia kingsii Endemic LC
Encyclia phoenicia / Chocolate Orchid CB LC
Epidendrum nocturnum GC
Epidendrum rigidum LC GC
Ionopsis utricliuoides GC
Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. minor / Wild Banana Orchid Endemic CB LC
Myrmecophila thomsoniana var. thomsoniana / Wild Banana Orchid Endemic GC
Oeceoclades maculata GC
Pleurothallis caymanensis GC
Polystachya concreta LC
Prescottia oligantha GC
Prosthechea boothiana / Dollar orchid GC
Prosthechea cochleata CB
Sacoila lanceolata GC
Tolumnia calochila GC
Tolumnia variegata syn.T. caymanense Syn.Oncidium caymanense GC
Triphora gentianoides GC
Tropidia polystachya add (Sterile specimen only) GC
Vanilla claviculata GC

In the land donated for the Botanic Park there was a natural wetland area, part of a Buttonwood / Conocarpus erectus swamp. This was developed into a small lake to serve as a habitat for aquatic birds and for its scenic value adjoining the Floral Colour Garden.

The lake is about three acres in size, and, with no rivers in Cayman to replenish it, it varies in size from filling up in the rainy season to being almost dry at other times. As more and more wetlands are lost to development, the lake’s importance as a wildlife refuge is growing. For animal lovers and bird watchers, it is a popular location for photographs.

“Xerophytic refers to plants that are well suited to dry (xeric) conditions, such as cactus and certain succulents,” explains John Lawrus, the botanic park’s general manager. “This display garden will show both native, regional (Greater Antillean) and exotic plants that are tolerant of dry conditions.”

Xerophytic refers to plants that are well-suited to dry (xeric) conditions such as cacti and certain succulents. The garden shows both native, regional (Greater Antillean) and exotic plants that are tolerant of dry conditions.

The benefits of a xerophytic garden include the following:

• Lower consumption of water.
• Less time and work needed for maintenance effort, with gardening simpler and less stressful.
• Xerophytic plants, in appropriate planting design and soil grading and mulching, take full advantage of rainfall retention.
• When water restrictions are implemented, xerophytic plants will tend to survive and thrive, while more ornamental plants may be unable to adapt.

Xeriscaping means using local plants and drought tolerant plants that can grow and sustain themselves with low water requirements and tolerate heat and drought conditions. This does not mean only cacti and thorny succulents found in arid environments, but to any plant that can survive in this kind of environment such as ornamental grasses and flowering perennials. You can have a xeriscape without sacrificing color, texture or structure – the normal elements of any landscape. Salt Tolerant plants can be xeriphytic but they can also sustain an added tolerance to salt.

The displays include the medicinal garden, with the types of plants Caymanians used to treat various ailments. In the heritage vein, an old Caymanian house (circa 1900) owned by Julius Rankine from East End, Grand Cayman, was brought to the park and restored, and a sand garden was developed around the house showing the traditional ornamental plants of that setting. There is also a collection of traditional fruit trees as well as the national tree of the Cayman Islands, the silver thatch palm (Coccothrinax proctorii).

SAND YARDS

Traditionally found surrounding a Caymanian cottage was a sand yard which consisted of white sand neatly placed around various individual plants. The yards were traditionally adorned with conch shells and white fences. The conch shells were also featured as a formal element, lining a pathway traditionally lead with smooth beach rocks and shells. This marked the entrance to the house.

The tradition of “backing sand” usually occurred just prior to Christmas to keep the sand yards looking their best over the festive season. Although their numbers are slowly decreasing, there are sand gardens still around in most districts of the Cayman Islands.

The design intent of the Floral Colour Garden is to create an informal garden in which one could stroll in an alternate landscape; such as coloured floral displays; laid out by colours, starting with pink and working through red, orange, yellow, white, blue, purple and lavender and different natural habitats such as the wooded areas with native trees, and into open, grassy spaces.

Visitors entering the Pink Garden at the entrance of the Floral Garden, pass under a pergola covered with flowing vines, entering the first section where you will find plants with pink flowers or coloration in the leaves, before you transition into the Red Garden.

In the Red Garden you will notice that it is wooded and shady and is home to a large number of exotic looking foliage plants that thrive under the shade of our native trees. Some of the plants that you may find here include Heliconias, Gingers, Crotons, and many more.  This section of the color garden provides more of a feeling of a tropical rain forest than anywhere else in the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.

Moving from the tropical feeling you are now in the heat of the Orange Garden which features plants that enjoy being directly in the sunlight.  The dramatic palms that seem to anchor the Orange Garden are Canary Islands Date Palms which exhibit orange fruit and are also home to many types of epiphytes.

From the heat of the Orange Garden we transition into the yellow garden which is also in a shaded area of the garden.  This helps to display the various tones of yellow that you will find here, as they are more easily viewed against the contrast of the darker surroundings.

The White Garden is next which opens up into a sunnier perspective and winds up to the gazebo where a display of water lilies can be viewed while relaxing here. At the gazebo you can view a lovely vista down the lake and other areas of the color garden. This area provides the first viewpoint of our lawn area which invites you to sit down and relax for awhile.

Finishing out the Color Garden is the Blue Garden which encompasses three shades of colour which are blue, purple and lavender.  It is the largest area of the Floral Color Garden and its variety of plantings routinely change as we try to introduce new plants to this area.