Hope Botanical Gardens, also known as the Royal Botanical Gardens, is a 200-acre (81 ha) park and gardens located in St Andrew, Jamaica.
History
Major Richard Hope's estate was established after 1655 when the British took over Jamaica from the Spanish.[1] Richard Hope was a commander in the British Army and received his estate due to his assistance in gaining control of Jamaica.[2]It was developed as a sugar plantation with a watermill.
In the 19th century the property was inherited by Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos.According to the Legacies of British Slave-Ownership research centre at University College London, Buckingham was the beneficiary of payment as a slave owner in the aftermath of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 with the Slave Compensation Act 1837.[3]
The gardens were established in 1873 from a section of the estate.[4] They were initially used as a site for experimental cultivation, particularly of sugarcane, but also developed into public pleasure garden.[5] The gardens were closely connected with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, through regular correspondence and sharing of plants, research, and staff.[6] Hope became the headquarters of the Department of Botanical Gardens and Plantations in 1898, and of the Department of Agriculture in 1908.[7]
Attractions
Attractions at the gardens include a palm grove, a cactus garden, an orchid house, and ornamental ponds.[2] This site is maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Jamaica).[8]