BOTANICAL GARDEN

Created in 1904 by decision of Governor Angoulvant as part of the agricultural research and extension station, and initially known as the "governor's garden", the current Botanical Garden became a test garden as early as 1920, where plants of cocoa, coffee, palm and later rubber trees were successfully tested, each one having experienced the good fortune known in Côte d'Ivoire. Later, as the site was gradually developed, several species of trees and plants from around the world were added. In 1935, the place was officially named a botanical garden because of its rich flora. Part of the original 70 hectares of the site was used to house the agricultural high school (now the Regional School of Agriculture), the breeding school, the research station of the CNRA (Centre national de recherche agronomique) and a treatment site for the water distribution company in Côte d'Ivoire, the Botanical Garden now covers some 56 hectares and has a three-fold vocation as a showcase for biodiversity, a scientific research laboratory (the area is particularly popular with botanical students and researchers as well as florists and other plant specialists) and a special place for raising awareness of environmental conservation (school visits, family nature outings, etc.).).
Home to nearly 300 plant species grouped in different collections (bamboo groves, palm groves, cheese gardens, fruit trees, woodworking species, grasses, flowering plants, medicinal plants, nurseries, etc.), it includes a picnic area and a football pitch, as well as paths and footpaths lined with benches and suitable for walking or cycling. Among the many species that can be found here are the vanilla tree, orchid, ixia, opuntia (snowshoe cactus), jasmine, hydrangea, dahlia and other "perfume trees" that pleasantly scent the air; several trees and plants with medicinal virtues such as the Kpangnan butter tree, used in the prevention of certain cancers, or vetiver, a plant native to the Indian subcontinent whose roots protect against insect bites, as well as an extraordinary bicentennial cheese maker with monumental buttresses. As for the garden's fauna, it is essentially made up of insects, small rodents, reptiles and birds whose songs, squeaks and whispers, mixed with those of the trees, make up a bewitching natural melody. In this jumble of abundant greenery that is unfortunately insufficiently addressed (hence the interest in opting for a guided tour if you want to find your way through all these surprising species), certain species, such as the milk apple trees, the sapotillium tree - whose chicle, a kind of white latex, was once used in the manufacture of chewing gum - or the paper tree remain particularly popular with visitors.
It is also a great pleasure to walk in the beautiful alley of dahlias, through the palm grove, and under the high foliage of the bamboos at the entrance of the park, a sort of enchanting and mysterious natural vault that seems to mark the passage to another world. A feeling of disconnection, far from the sold-out horn concertos played in town. Mosquito repellent highly recommended.