Aburi Garden

Aburi Botanical Gardens( Naomi Nyame Dcs 20456)

Aburi Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in Aburi in Eastern region of South Ghana. The garden occupies an area of 64.8 hectares. It was opened in March, 1890 and was founded by Governor William Brandford-Griffith and Dr John Farrell Easmon, a Sierra Leonean Medical Doctor. It’s just three quarters of an hour drive from Accra, the capital of Ghana. The cool mountainous weather of Aburi makes it a destination for people who love the cool side of life. Located in this cool tranquil environment is the Aburi Botanical Gardens. These gardens comprise great lawns planted with native and imported trees and plants.

This garden offers edifying, aesthetic and spiritual experience for all groups of people. And this becomes very important if one considers the fact that human beings have been genetically coded to remain closer to nature and draw from it healing, peace and replenishment of their energies.

                            On a visit to the garden, the first thing that graces you is the beautifully lined royal palm trees (roystonea regia) on both sides of the road leading to the car park. These palm trees cannot be said to be part of the original plants that were cultivated but look very old. You do not have to worry about authenticity because there are some original species of plant that can still be found there; the silk cotton tree (ceiba pentandra) is an example. This tree is said to be the only survivor of the original forest that once covered the Aburi Hills. 

In fact the silk cotton tree is acclaimed to be one of the biggest trees in West Africa (how they came to that conclusion is not known). But the sheer girth of about 5-7 metres and a height of about 48 metres indeed make it one of the biggest in the sub region. It is not surprising to see tour guides asking people to form circles around the tree to know how big it is.

            One significant thing with all flower bearing plants is the fragrance that they leave behind and Aburi Botanic Gardens is not to be left out. The sweet scents and aroma from some of the carefully selected both exotic and local plant species is something to behold.

Aburi Garden also features other interesting things that should draw visitors to the place. First amongst the lot is the serene atmosphere that the garden provides for picnic lovers. On any of the national holidays, it is not surprising to find lots of people travelling from far and new just to have their picnics there.

Other features that should attract you are the Bush House, the Rock Garden, the Pergola or Lovers’ lane, the retired helicopter, the Ficus tree and the horticulture school.