Antigua and Barbuda / Special Interests / Flowers & Gardens

Antigua is a fairly dry island (relatively) but you will see a full array of tropical plants in the hotels, villas and national parks including Pom Pom and sugar grapes. During the sugar era, the island was completely covered in sugar cane fields, but the crop came to an end in the 1800s and so there is now a lot of open land and scrub. There is just one area of lush forest, in the southwest at Fig Tree Drive where you will find bigger trees and a rainforest feel. Visitors can take a walking trail amongst the banana trees within Antigua’s lust rain forest. Several outstanding views of this undulating road will take in wild mango, coconut, orange and guava trees. There is a Fig Tree Art Studio which showcases wonderful work by the local artists. After viewing the art you can go for the Fig Tree hike, enjoying nature up close, climbing up Signal Hill where you have 360 degree views of the entire island of Antigua.

In terms of National Parks, four have been officially designated.

Nelson’s Dockyard is the most visited park and home to the National Parks Authority and is the only restored Georgian dockyard in the world impressive palms and grassy areas.

Devil’s Bridge is another National Park which offers a glimpse into Antigua’s natural side and is situated outside the village of Willikies. The park is a result of millions of years of ancient reef formation, composed of limestone rocks. For hundreds of thousands of years, the Atlantic’s waves have created a natural arch, or bridge, crashing into the east coast of Antigua.

Greencastle Hill peaks at 565 feet above sea level, making it one of the tallest hills on the island. The park is located near the village of Jennings and is only accessible by hiking and it is recommended only experienced hikers trek up the hillside. The park is named after an adjacent sugar plantation and has held a prominent place in both the historical and prehistorical periods of Antigua’s history. Visitors are advised to visit the park with a local guide.

Fort Barrington is Antigua’s fourth National Park and is named for the Admiral who fortified the fort in 1779, safeguarded St. John’s Harbour during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The park can be accessed by a short hike.

The old botanical gardens (once used to propagate plants for planting) are located in St John’s at Victoria Park, close to the East Bus Station. Established in 1893, they were badly neglected and in disrepair until recently, but work has begun on restoration.

Contributors: James Henderson (original author)