Ghana Botanical Garden

Green

        It is nice to get up into the hills outside of Accra and to experience some greenery and even a degree or two of cooler temperatures. The sun is no less intense it just has a little harder time getting through.

        These little ones are very different from the usual version of chicken that we see. Makes you wonder what color of eggs this hen lays.

        The garden is laid out in ten sections of palms, spice trees, and a few arbors of flowers. Former President J.J. Rawlings helicopter is here for exploring.

        The trees are types of allspice, cinnamon, cardamon, and nutmeg to name a few.

Cinnamon. The bark was quite strong.

Fallen nutmeg pods.

Nutmeg in bloom.

Nutmeg pod. The red like plastic. When dry the nutmeg inside will shake like beans.

Star fruit.

       The Palms were regal and even historical mahogany.

        I will find the chance to take flower pictures whenever I can.

This is called the crown of thorns. That which was used to make the "crown" for Jesus. 

        Parasites abound in the garden. Tropical plants that attach themselves to trees and trees that choke and kill the tree that they attach to. It is interesting to see every where in the forests of Ghana the Ficus that we know at home as a self standing specimen of a tree to actually be a tree killing vine that chokes out the life of the tree that it attaches to.

Inside the hollow tree.

 

Tropical "Plants".

        The gardens have been here since the late 1800's. The oldest tree, all covered with amazing ivy, is supposedly 350 years old. The tin roof on the building that is still in use was built by the Presbyterians in 1827 is still the original. A little hard to believe but that was what we were told.