This is the off season in Costa Rica and a great time to visit beaches, resorts and attractions. Prices can be low and crowds are minimal. We usually go out and about in the mornings because there is always the possibility of rain in the afternoons. Also we usually go during the week as weekend traffic can be quite heavy. We had the orchid garden to ourselves.
Everything is well marked so you can just wander around at will. There are several large orchid greenhouses and one has explanatory signs so you can learn how orchids are cultivated - from dust mote size seed to adult plant. Seeing how all the different species are planted and being grown is useful to me so I can compare how my own collection is doing. The small greenhouse behind the gift shop sells orchids - I resisted because I have enough of them.
After doing our tour, we went to the restaurant for a cold drink and a dessert. We each had mora bebidos - mora being a type of blackberry grown here and bebido (or refresco or natural), meaning a cold fruit drink made with milk or water. There were several postres (desserts) on offer and we both chose the lemon pie which was a tangy lemon filling on top of a type of graham cracker crust.
The Botanical Orchid Garden would be a good place to take your visitors. We enjoyed it and it’s an easy and close drive from our house in Grecia.
Scarlet macaws. Two types of macaws reside in Costa Rica - the scarlet on the Pacific Coast and the great green on the Caribbean Coast. Sadly, both species are considered endangered. I have seen the scarlet macaws flying wild and it is a beautiful sight. These aviaries were large enough that these birds could have a short fly around.
This sweet lady cockatoo has been in the gardens since the 1980’s. She seemed to like attention.
Orchids, orchids everywhere. This is just one of several greenhouses.
I think (but correct me if I am wrong) that this is the national flower of Costa Rica - the Guarianthe skinneri orchid, or Guaria morada.
Vanda orchid collection. I have three vandas that have yet to flower. They were very young and small when I bought them so hopefully they will flower one day.
One color of vanda flower:
Friendly ducks at the pond. They followed us around for a bit. There is also another smaller pond with koi fish and turtles.
Etlingera elatior or torch ginger.
The enormous Samanea saman tree. I believe the name has now been changed to Albizia saman. The wood makes attractive cabinets and furniture.
Large bamboo stand.
Looking out from inside the restaurant.
Lemon pie and mora batido. Mine was made with water and Lance’s with milk.
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