The Trust was fortunate to acquire the land around the headquarters to develop a project for a botanic garden. The purpose of the project was to establish a Botanic Garden where public knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the Montserrat Environment would be enhanced through a variety of interesting and educational experiences. The ravages of the volcano left few green spaces in which people could relax. Also the pressure to clear land of plants to set up buildings for commercial and domestic purposes made it important to educate the public about the importance of plants and the need to conserve them. There was also a need to collect and record the traditional knowledge of plants which the elders possessed. It seemed that a well established botanic garden could fulfill those purposes. The Garden the following features:

Nursery Area and Office. This is where the plants for the garden are being propagated and documented.

Composting Unit. The unit was built and regularly produces the compost the dead leaves and branches and shredded paper from the offices to fertilize the plant beds.

Seasonal Ghaut. The seasonal Ghaut flows with the water which overflows from our cistern during heavy rain fall. Then it dries up in dry season like the ghauts in the Centre hills. The vegetation along the sides of the water course changes to show how the vegetation changes as one move from the top of the Centre Hills to low lying areas.

Orchid House: An orchid house was built and the endemic orchid found in the hills is on display in it along with other orchids found on Montserrat and the foliage which create the conditions in which certain orchids thrive. A few hybrids are being gradually added to the collection.

Medicinal Garden. The space for the medicinal garden has been outlined and several plants traditionally used for medicinal purposes were propagated in the nursery and transferred to the beds.

Propagation of Endemic Plant The Ronaletia Buxifolia locally known as ‘pribby’ is endemic to Montserrat. It has been successfully propagated in our nursery and plants were transplanted into the garden to form a hedge.

Click here a foretaste of our Botanical Garden

Visit us to see all plants we have, and spend a peacefull time with nature!