Sri Lanka - An island of Gardens
When I was younger, I was consumed with my love of worldwide travel. I worked as a flight attendant while in university and beyond so that I could easily take off on my next globetrotting adventure. Eventually more responsibilities and commitments crept into my life; a mortgage, a career and motherhood curbed my wanderlust. Fast-forward to 2018 where a series of synchronicities brought me back to my deep love of travel and exploration. Last April, almost by accident, I found myself in the wonderful exotic world of Sri Lanka, a country rich in many cultures, world class gardens and architecture, natural beauty and delicious food; it was love at first site.
With the exception of renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, I knew very little about Sri Lanka’s garden traditions, before visiting. I have a tendency to view the world with garden goggles, but I was still surprised and delighted to find that everywhere I looked in Sri Lanka I saw gardens. There were beautiful swathes of coconut palms, formal gardens surrounding spiritual and ancient sites. Ayurvedic spice gardens, colonial parklands and extravagant resorts built into existing rock, dripping with jungle. So much of the vegetation was familiar and some like the fascinating Cannonball tree Couroupita guianensis I had never seen before.
Sri Lanka is only slightly smaller than Tasmania in size and is home to 21 million people. Surprisingly, there is a feeling of vast open green space thanks to wildlife corridors, national parks, reserves and the tea plantations in the Hill Country. Almost 10 % of land is kept as national parks, reserves or protection zones with the first designated animal reserves being set aside in the 3rd century when Buddhism was introduced. Royalty felt it important to have a refuge for all animals, birds and fish. The initial purpose was completely turned on its head with the colonial invasion of the Portuguese, Dutch and finally the English with their love of hunting. As a result, additional protected forest areas were expanded to create larger ‘hunting grounds’. Thankfully, the Sri Lankan government has continued to value these natural corridors and are a significant draw for tourists wanting a glimpse at the elephants, leopards and a birdlife that call these areas home. I had the opportunity of hiking through the remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Knuckle Ranges, it was an “off the beaten path” privilege that most travellers don’t get to experience, but well worth the extra effort.
Sri Lanka has a long history of sophisticated architecture and garden making which is evident in the ruins of the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Sigiriya. Rocky outcrops and boulders are integrated into the building design dating from the first millennium AD. The Ancient monasteries, royal palaces and pleasure gardens were built using local materials, giving the buildings and gardens an enduring sense of place. The connection to nature is enchanting and can be deeply felt when walking through these sites. It is worth a visit to the sacred Bodhi Tree, Ficus religiosa, located in Anuradhapura. The tree has a 2000 year history of custodianship, making it the oldest known tree to be in cultivation. I went to the temple where it lives, in the evening; lighting and singing infused my visit with a fairy-tale atmosphere. I couldn’t resist picking up a fallen leaf as I’m sure it contained a little magic.
Located close to India and along ancient trade routes, Sri Lanka has had more than its fair share of invaders, immigrants, missionaries’, traders and now tourists. Sri Lanka was invaded by the Portuguese, Dutch and English. Ever home sick for their gardens, the English had the strongest influence on Sri lanka’s garden design. The British impact is most evident in the hill town of Nuwara Eliya which was established a century ago as an escape for the English. It has been dubbed ‘little England’ and sports genteel colonial architecture, rose gardens and park lands. I visited on a misty day and it felt like I had entered a fairyland Tudor village surrounded by pretty flower gardens. It was honestly surreal and in vast contrast to the rest of the temperate Hill country which is known for its neatly planted lines of tea bushes, Camellia sinensis, lush green forests and abundance of waterfalls.
The best-known residential gardens, open for public viewing are located in the south-west west of the island, north of Colombo . The two gardens are the work of brothers, Geoffrey and Bevis Bawa. Geoffrey Bawa was a world class architect who is credited for initiating the modern tropical design movement. He successfully merged modern design elements with ancient principles resulting in a unique style of architecture. His private garden Lunuganga is open to the public as a guesthouse and for garden tours. It is designed on the English landscape tradition of wide-open vistas with Sri Lankan sensibilities and influences. The most dramatic and noteworthy of Bawas designs is the Heritance Kandalama Hotel. It was his last creation, and some say best, and located 11km from Sigiriya from which he drew inspiration. It is as if the hotel is one with the environment, the hotel is nestled into the boulders which form the walls of the corridors and poolside café. It drips with vegetation and the surrounding jungle appears to have claimed it as its own.
Geoffrey Bawa’s flamboyant and charismatic brother Bevis created a wonderfully eccentric garden called Brief which is located 10km inland from Bentota. It is full of sculpture, folly & grottos set amongst a lush jungle garden. Brief was a gathering place for his endless circle of friends, and a meeting spot for artists and writers. Bevis Bawa was a successful nurseryman and landscape designer, as well as a very intriguing man. Brief is still drawing a crowd and is open for visitors.
With a recent history of civil war, a devastating tsunami, and terrorist attacks this country has endured a lot of turmoil and setbacks in a very short period. While Sri Lanka’s current reputation is still shaky, the beauty of the people and the place are undeniable. It is a wonderful country, rich in culture, history and beautiful gardens.
