The History of Tropical Gardens (1) – European Fascination

Tropical eden The alluring concept of the tropical garden has been in the imaginations of Europeans for generations. The idea of 'Eden', a fantastical, flourishing and eternally fertile garden paradise, is perhaps our first encounter with such a concept.

The idea that this tropical garden paradise may in fact be an attainable reality came during the age of exploration, where gallant expeditions to far reaching places brought back life-like drawings and dried specimens from far away lands.

The fascination for 'the tropical garden' peaked in Europe during in the 19th Century, when all major capitals resourced and kept their own public collections of tropical artefacts and rare botanical wonders.

This interest was particularly strong in England, which, because of its own success in early exploration, exerted it's influences on the pleasure gardens of abroad and in the tropics.

As the empire spread, travel over long distances became safer. Soon, regular trips could be made to previously unreachable places – the rainforests of Borneo and Malaya, Central America, India, Burma and the South Pacific for example, all became more accessible to adventurous botanists and those with a passion for horticulture.

This fascination was also encouraged by the growing demand from wealthy plant collectors and institutions, whom were willing to make generous donations to those who successfully found and retrieved the most exciting horticultural discoveries.

These large purses made some willing to risk their lives, although much of the time, efforts often ended in disaster.

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