Penang's magnificent Botanic Gardens host the International Floral Festival. There are experts on hand to show the keen horticulturalist around, but prepare yourself - the gardens cover 72 acres and take a good couple of days to see properly.
The British came to Penang in 1786 before colonising the rest of Malaysia. In 1884, they appointed Charles Curtis to design and run a botanical garden and chose the foothills of Penang Hill for the purpose. The garden is situated in an amphitheatre of hills and designed with imperial intentions in mind to be a nursery for the "planting of colonial products". The British wanted their newfound subjects to get busy growing the pepper, spices and sugar which would make them rich.
The legacy they left was a garden of rare delights. Today the Botanical Gardens boast an array of incredibly rare flora. Besides their precious collection of trees, there are hundreds of species that are unique to the country, normally hidden away in its forests and highlands.
The legacy they left was a garden of rare delights. Today the Botanical Gardens boast an array of incredibly rare flora. Besides their precious collection of trees, there are hundreds of species that are unique to the country, normally hidden away in its forests and highlands.
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