Sri Lanka is a country rich in vegetation, and as you walk across its land, it’s easy to find yourself surrounded by greenery.
When it comes to must-visit places to explore Sri Lanka’s plant life, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy is undoubtedly at the top of the list.
The history of this botanical garden can be traced back to the distant 14th century, when it served for a long time as the royal garden, an exclusive area for the king’s leisure and plant cultivation. During the British colonial period, it was transformed into a botanical garden to cultivate economic crops such as cinnamon and coffee, and gradually became an important center for the study of tropical plants.
Today, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy is home to over 4,000 species of rare tropical and subtropical plants. Famous for its orchids and ancient trees, it is the largest botanical garden in Sri Lanka and the second largest in Asia.
The garden features plants from around the world, each thoughtfully labeled with information, allowing visitors not only to enjoy their beauty but also to learn more about them.
Walking through the lush green sanctuary created by countless plants in the botanic garden, you can see pine trees leaning yet standing tall, ancient spice plants covered in blossoms, and majestic old specimen trees. Every step in the botanical garden reveals a unique and magical scene, painted by the diversity of its plants.
Within the garden lies a vast lawn, dominated by an ancient and massive Javan fig tree. Its countless branches stretch outward like a giant umbrella, covering the lawn and providing an enormous shaded canopy for visitors—a truly awe-inspiring sight.
The garden also features three magnificent palm avenues, each lined with a different species of palm, giving each avenue a distinct style—perfect for photography. The Royal Palm Avenue is planted with tall, elegant palms whose leaves form a high crown. The Cabbage Palm Avenue features trees with central leaves that resemble the unfolding layers of a cabbage. The Palmyra Palm Avenue showcases palms commonly found in arid regions and northern Sri Lanka.
While exploring the botanical garden, there is a special area worth visiting—the Memorial Trees area. It contains over a hundred trees planted by famous figures, including heads of state, visiting dignitaries, astronauts, and members of royal families, during their official visits to the garden.
Beyond its ornamental plants, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kandy is also engaged in activities related to plant certification, ethnobotany, horticulture, and ex-situ plant conservation. It serves as one of Sri Lanka’s primary research institutions for agriculture and crop cultivation.
