My partner, Melanie, and I have a goal to experience as much of St. Croix as we can. After taking a morning swim, we wanted to find another activity to walk around and explore. We’re so glad we found the St. George Botanical Gardens. We were expecting just some pretty plants to photograph. However, we were pleasantly surprised when the gardens were not only blossoming with wildlife, but also filled with fascinating history of St. Croix.
I think we lucked out choosing the day to visit. With an overcast sky, our walk through the gardens was shady and breezy, the perfect temperature to enjoy the nature surrounding us. We made a quick stop at the Visitor’s Center, where we met the botanical gardens’ enthusiastic staff. They were eager to tell us about the gardens and they offered to answer any questions we had about things we would see around. Not only was the Visitor’s Center helpful, but it was filled with fun souvenirs like organic soaps, original artwork, and local rum. We were tempted to buy out the store. We just got there, though, so Melanie and I knew we would have to return after our journey around the gardens. With a map of the gardens in hand, we took off down the trail.
During our walk, we learned some history of the property. St. George’s Botanical Gardens used to be the Estate St. George Sugar Factory. The sugarcane from the estate made sugar, molasses, and rum. The estate’s source of manual labor was enslaved people. Many of the buildings around the property were used for enslaved housing. When you visit now, the ruins that are left date back to 1760. Back home, our town doesn’t have much early history. We really appreciate going to places that have centuries of history.
Walking through the gardens, we came across old architecture that is still functional today, such as the village Bake Oven. We were surprised that the oven is still used, even though it is from the 1800s. Some of the original estate buildings are still around because they kept the kitchen separate from the rest of the buildings in case a fire happened. After visiting the kitchen, we made our way to the blacksmith shop. St. George Botanical Gardens is home to the only functioning historic blacksmith shop in the US Virgin Islands. We couldn’t believe these structures and rustic tools are still here centuries later.
It was special seeing the gardens repurpose the buildings to be more than just dated stone. The old Overseer’s House of the plantation is now home to Jamaican Fruit Bats. These bats help pollinate some blooming trees and plants around the gardens. These were the first bats I’ve seen active during the day. We enjoyed watching them fly from rafter to rafter. It was neat seeing the old Overseer’s House as a place for history and nature to come together.
The botanical gardens have a phenomenal variety of plants. Each time we turned a corner, there was another picturesque view of bright, blooming nature. We had a difficult time choosing which pictures to include. We could have made a completely separate article just of photos of the plants. Also, there were fun paths and bridges that made for great photos. The botanical gardens were great because it felt like they took the beauty of St. Croix and condensed it into a bite-sized experience of nature on the island.
One of the most memorable areas of the gardens was the 1,000 Orchid Memorial Garden. To honor the enslaved people who endured the trials of living on Estate St. George, the gardens staff is on their way to planting 1,000 orchids in their memory. The memorial explained the significance of the orchid, as it can survive in almost every environment. The strength of orchids represents the resilience of the enslaved people who lived, died, and worked on Estate St. George. It is beautiful to commemorate those who brought so much culture to the island, despite their suffering. Also, the orchid memorial has some endangered orchid species native to the Virgin Islands. The botanical gardens have turned the property into a place of preserving history and nature.
We can’t forget the beauty of the botanical gardens’ new seashell mosaic. Whoever created the mosaic is an incredibly creative individual. We could never create such magnificent scenes with just shells. Come check out the collection; it has only been open to the public for about a month.
The botanical gardens are full exciting projects, like the Virgin Islands Rare Plant Initiative (VIRPI). The goal of this project is to grow rare or endangered plants, reintroduce them to their native islands, and have them become part of the Caribbean forest community. The gardens have an area called the Rain Forest that is a part of this initiative. In the Rain Forest, you can walk through the paths and experience what vegetation was like on St. Croix before humans stepped in. If you know a plant lover, be sure to invite them here. We were glad to support a place that values sanctuary for wildlife.
St. George Botanical Gardens does a great job showcasing so many plant species while also respecting the property’s history. We had a great time touring the gardens and would definitely do it again. Oh, and we did end up taking home some souvenirs (Currently, the soap from the gardens is the best smell we own). We get more impressed with St. Croix with each activity we try!
