(Seychelles News Agency) - Aside from the beautiful flora and various species of animals, the Seychelles botanical garden also houses some commemorative monuments.

Established in 1901 by a Mauritian agronomist, Rivalz Dupont, the 15-acre garden is itself one of the Seychelles’ oldest national monuments and is a living green heritage providing a quiet, natural getaway

SNA presents four monuments at the botanical gardens.

1. Stone seat dedicated to Paul Rivalz Dupont

Among the monuments and rock formations in the garden is the Stone Seat, dedicated to the founders of the botanical gardens, Paul Rivalz Dupont and British entomologist Desmond Vesey-Fitzgerald who came to Seychelles in 1933 to implement control measures against the insects that were destroying the coconut plantations.  

(Salifa Karapetyan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

2. Guangzhou Chinese Garden 

Opened in December 2016 and located on a hill in the western corner of the garden, the Guangzhou Garden showcases key structures of a Chinese city. It includes a sculpture of the Five Rams, which according to Chinese belief conveys good wishes for the prosperity of the country and the harmonious life of the people. The garden, which is spread over one acre of land, also exhibits vegetation from Guangzhou planted alongside Seychelles’ plants. They include bamboo, orchid and the kapok tree also known as Red Kapok or Hero tree.  

(Patrick Joubert, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

3. Thai garden with the unique El Coco feature

If you are an admirer of exotic spices and cuisine from Thailand, then visit the Thai garden which was opened in May 2014. This new feature is described as “a real piece of Thailand” in Seychelles. The garden consists of plants from Thailand and South East Asia. These plants include various kind of orchids, kitchen mint, hairy basil, sweet basil, windbetal leafbash, lime and common lime, Indian borage, among many others. A unique feature of the garden is the el coco, a symbol of an elephant and a coco de mer, national emblems of both countries.

(Salifa Karapetyan, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

4. Japan-Seychelles Friendship monument

The Japan-Seychelles Friendship Monument is a tribute to those who contributed to the organization of Seychelles Pavilion at the Osaka Expo' in 1990. Bearing the formal title of International Garden and Greenery Exposition, Osaka, 1990, abbreviated in Japanese to Hana-haku, or ''Flower Expo,'' the fair's purpose was to promote harmony between man and nature and to focus attention on global environmental issues.

Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY