View source for Flower Forest

{{Short description|Botanical garden in Saint Joseph, Barbados}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Flower Forest
| photo = Bathsheba,_Barbados_03.jpg
| photo_width = 275
| photo_caption = Tropical palms with fruits.
| type = 
| location =
| coords = {{coord|13|12|12|N|59|34|1|W|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|50|acre|m2|adj=on}}
| created = 1983<ref name="BGCI" />
| operator = 
| visitation_num = 
| status = 
| embedded =
| website = {{URL|https://www.flowerforestbarbados.com}}
}}

'''Flower Forest Botanical Gardens''' is a horticultural park and tourist attraction near the village of Bloomsbury, [[Saint Joseph, Barbados|Saint Joseph]] in [[Barbados]]. It is a scenic garden park with attractive [[flowering plant]]s and [[tropical]] [[trees]]. The {{convert|50|acre|m2|adj=on}} property was formerly a sugar plantation.<ref>[https://barbados.org/flowfrst.htm Flower Forest]</ref>

== History == 
Richmond Plantation was redeveloped in the 1980s to become a botanical and tourism resource by a diverse group, notably Don Hill (Barbados Telephone Company), Will Huey (RSPCA), Bertie Graham (Paredos), Richard Coghlan (Layout of the Sandy Lane Hotel grounds, Trevena Gardens), Peter Gilkes (Printersco).

The gardens were purchased from the founding shareholders in 2009 and continue to be a sustainable agricultural development mainly in tourism, privately owned by David Spieler. An amicable transfer, the takeover has allowed many improvements to be initiated.

== Botany ==
Collections of [[Heliconias]], [[Lilium|ginger lilies]], [[bromeliads]], [[List of Anthurium species|anthurium lilies]], and other tropical flowers presently provide a flowering base underneath tall, indigenous [[List of palms native to the Caribbean|Caribbean Royal palms]], which grow wild in the Scotland District of Barbados.

== Gardeners ==
In 2019 Flower Forest employs 4 full-time gardeners, 2 pavilion staff members, and is managed by Angela Hurdle. It is the largest garden in Barbados.<ref name="BGCI">[https://tools.bgci.org/garden.php?id=2595&ftrCountry=BB&ftrKeyword=&ftrBGCImem=&ftrIAReg= Flower Forest] [[Botanic Gardens Conservation International]]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Andromeda Botanic Gardens]]
* [[Welchman Hall Gully]]
* [[Hunte's Gardens]]
* [[Orchid World]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Saint Joseph, Barbados]]
[[Category:Gardens in Barbados]]
[[Category:Parks in Barbados]]
[[Category:Botanical gardens in Barbados]]


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