Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Andromeda Botanical Gardens In Barbados

Andromeda Botanic Gardens is a six acre tropical garden in the Parish of St Joseph, overlooking the scenic east coast of Barbados. Iris Bannochie founded the garden in 1954 on land owned by her family since 1740, and showed plants from Andromeda with the Barbados Horticultural Society many times at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London.

Andromeda was first open to the public during a fund raising event hosted by the Barbados Horticultural Society in the seventies. Andromeda was well received, and has remained open to the public by paid admission since then. Andromeda currently boast over six hundred different species of plants adapted to a range of tropical environments.


The name Andromeda is derived from the mythical Greek goddess who was chained to a rock.


The Andromeda Botanic Gardens Educational Program is run in co-ordination with the Department of Biological & Chemical Sciences of the University of the West Indies.

Mrs. Iris Bannochie, a local horticulturist. At her death, Mrs. Bannochie bequeathed Andromeda to the Barbados National Trust.

Notable in the gardens is the large talipot palm tree, one of the largest palms in the world.

At the centre of the upper garden, near a grotto-like lily pond is a majestic native banyan. When Queen Ingrid of Denmark visited the garden in 1971, she was served refreshments in a recently built gazebo overlooking the sea.  There is a library, classroom, cafeteria and gift shop. In 1991, the palm garden contained over 60 different species of palm.

On a more personal note Iris Bannochie was in fact related to me as was known to be quite a unique person in many ways. She is buried in St Johns Parish Church Cemetery.

We at Glory Tours are happy to provide you with several tour options including the Andromeda Botanical Gardens and we would be delighted if you would join us in paying a visit to The Andromeda Botanical Gardens one day soon :o)




















Provided with the compliments of your friends at Glory Tours. The #1 Provider of Sightseeing Tours in Barbados http://glorytours.org/

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