Sarchi - El Jardin Botanico

Friday, March 15

Our visit to Sarchi continues. (See "Sarchi Norte, Central Plaza" for part one.)

Our taxi drops us off at the Jardin Botanico Else Kientzler. Here, pictures are worth a thousand words. So, we'll tell our story mostly through images. Just know that this garden is vast - about 17 acres - with over a mile of trails. Some acreage is formally landscaped, with different areas devoted to different types of plants, and some acreage has been left mostly natural. There are over 2000 types of plants here that have been identified and labeled.

Entrance sign for Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

The Garden was developed by a private company, using land previously devoted to growing coffee. The company has large greenhouses devoted to growing plants for sale, primarily for export. We paid the entrance fee of $10 each, and a green plastic strip was wound around our wrists to serve as our ticket.

Today, the Garden was having a special event - partly a plant sale and partly a celebration of oxcarts. Along the walkway leading to the building that serves as the Reception Center, there are flats and hanging pots of plants for sale. Most of these plants are familiar to us; some were annuals we used last summer to landscape our yard and decorate our deck. Now we have a better idea about where our annuals come from.

Sunshine Impatiens for sale at Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Also along the walkway leading to Reception, there are a couple of striking water features. The colorful water wheel required more than a photo to do it justice, so Bob shot a video.

Water features at entrance to Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Video by Bob)

We reach Reception, where the trails through the Jardin begin. The building is a Spanish-style Casa, which I, at first, mistakenly thought must have been someone's private home.

Reception Center, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

The architecture of the Casa is beautiful, inside and out. And the view from the back verandah is stunning. Here we see a sweeping lawn, planted with flowers and trees and ending with an elaborate maze made from Hibiscus shrubs, with a small pool in the center.

View from Reception verandah, including the maze, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Pool in maze, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

The trail then took us into shaded forest lined with flowering plants.

Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photos by Connie)

From there, we took a side path to what was billed as a lago (lake). It turned out to be a small pond so choked with vegetation that you couldn't see the water. We hoped for glimpses of turtles, frogs, or fish, but didn't see any animals.

Lago (choked with plants), Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Near the lake, Bob takes a rest...

... but not for long. We hear a commotion up on the ridge behind us, and go to investigate. It is a small procession of an oxcart with two oxen pulling it, and tended by two handlers. Bob makes another video:

Here comes the oxcart! Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Video by Bob)

Turns out that the oxcart was heading for the Events Area - a shaded area set around a large terrace. Here there was a live band playing and many people sitting around in the shade eating a Tico-style lunch that was being prepared and sold by several vendors scattered around. Today's event turns out to be a celebration of the oxcart as a historically significant symbol of Costa Rica. Music played, people read poetry and gave speeches. All the while, the oxen stood quietly in the center of the crowd.

Oxcart progressing to the center of the Events Area, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

As the tired oxen and their handlers left the Events Area, they stopped for a photo- op.

Oxcart driver with a matched pair of oxen and a colorful Sarchi oxcart. Jardin Botanico. (Photo by Connie)

 

After this, Bob and I headed for the "back nine", as they would say in golf. We walked on a trail that was among the old growth - an area well tended but not landscaped or manicured. Some trees were labeled.

Typical rainforest growth at the Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

On the return trail, we passed a group of artifacts set up as a display:

Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

Some other scenes along the way:

Bob in front of giant plant whose name we cannot remember. Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Plant, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Waterfall, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Landscaped hillside, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

Back at the Reception Casa, we end our tour. We saw many other plants and scenes not recorded here. But enough is enough!

Reception Center, Jardin Botanico, Sarchi, Costa Rica. (Photo by Connie)

 

We hailed a taxi back to Sarchi Norte and then took the long bus ride back from Sarchi to Alejuela and Alejuela to Atenas over the same narrow, steep, winding, roads. But this time, we were too sleepy to be scared. We arrived back home two tired pups. But it was worth it.

 

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