Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden

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Queen Elizabeth II Botanical Gardens



It was a regular hot, sultry day when I caught the bus to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Garden. The fare was only $5 and I saw a lot of Grand Cayman from the window. It was interesting to watch the people, too. They come in all sizes, like on any public transport, and each of them has a story. I make up my own stories if I don’t get to talk to them.



I was grateful that the bus took me all the way to the Visitor’s Center, since the driveway must have been at least two miles long. There, in the middle of the parking lot was a living breathing Blue Iguana. I went in the doors and paid the admission fee, and was informed that the Iguana Recovery Center was closed due to some functional problem. I rushed back outside to take photos of the iguana but she wasn’t on the pavement anymore. I looked on the planted divider, and there she was, proud and beautiful as she posed for me.



I wondered if I was making a mistake not taking a pricey tour with a guide. I soon realized it was better to just wander around on my own and enjoy the garden at my own pace. There were less than fifteen visitors while I was there, so much of the time I was totally alone. I had a little over two hours to see the gardens and I enjoyed every minute. It was cool and quiet and I never knew what I would see around the corner. The Orchid Garden was a little disappointing because only one species was is bloom, but it was interesting to see how they were wired onto the trees, and there were signs with photos and descriptions of the different orchids. You can’t expect everything to bloom at once, and there are definitely seasons. Orchids are an acquired taste. I didn’t like them when I was young, they looked too fake. Now I buy them for myself when the price is right, and I have had to limit my purchases; it would be easy to acquire too many. I especially like the way they continue to bloom, becoming more and more lush over time.



I especially enjoyed the old established orchard in the Heritage Garden. A traditional Cayman house, painted pink and white, is the center piece of this garden and is surrounded by a sand garden, raked and smoothed to perfection. A crushed shell walkway edged with conch shells is also traditional, with a purpose - the crushed shells announced visitors. The trees in the orchard didn’t look like much, but they were all labeled and there were the regular orchard trees, peach, plum, banana, mango that you would expect to find. But there were also some unusual, even exotic or wild fruit trees I had never heard of before. Only a few had fruit, again, tis the season. It tickled me when I read that some types of fruit were an acquired taste, and only a handful of seniors appreciated their flavor. That made me smile. I would have liked to have had more time to appreciate each tree. A brochure with a photo and the label would be helpful.



The Color Garden was just that, quite colorful. There was a lot of red and vibrant orange, yellow, and the occasional lavender or purple flowers and plants. There were bridges and raised walkways, and places to sit and enjoy the surroundings. Another visitor pointed out a bloom that inspired Chanel #5. It smelled heavenly. There were turtles and a bird that walked on the lily pads in a large, lovely pond, and on a grassy lawn a child found a diminutive snake that raised its head in silent attention, making it look much like the snake on an Egyptian headdress.



I drained my camera battery just as I got to a beautiful bougainvillea, I quickly returned to the Visitor’s Center and plugged in my battery charger while I walked the Woodland Trail. It was hushed and peaceful, and the light was soothing as it sifted through the overhead canopy. When I finished the circuit I replaced my camera battery and ran to get the photo of the bougainvillea before the bus arrived to pick me up.



While waiting for my ride I picked up a free local newspaper and read about a dive shop on the east side of the island that runs a free shuttle service. I was excited about diving another part of the island, and I called trying to arrange a dive. Unfortunately the shuttle didn’t run on week-ends or holidays, so I was unable to make the connection in the time I had left.



I saw a lot of coastline on the way back. The bus, a minivan was full to bursting on the return trip. Some Cayman women are generous sized. It is comforting since I am aware that many Americans are overweight. We aren’t the only ones. You could feel the bus shift on its suspension when an oversized person got on or off the bus. This was a regular commuter bus and people continued to get on, even when I was sure no one else would fit.



The gardens were a cornucopia for the senses, a peaceful interlude I savored on my leisurely stroll back to the apartment.

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Photos

Kiki the Blue Iguana
The Cayman Blue Iguana is on the endangered species list. Kiki is about three and a half feet long.

Orchid Garden
This is the only variety that was in bloom. Aren't they beautiful?

The lily pond.
Look closely at the bird that walks on the lily pads. Here he is swimming. (center, under the lilies)

Heritage Garden Orchard
One of the less common fruit trees.