Lankester Botanical Garden (Jardín Botánico Lankester) is a world-class botanical sanctuary and premier research hub managed by the University of Costa Rica (UCR). Located in Dulce Nombre, Cartago, this 11-hectare estate was originally established in the 1940s by British botanist Charles Lankester and later donated to the university to secure its preservation. For flower travelers, the garden is a global bucket-list destination, celebrated primarily for its extraordinary efforts in orchid conservation, displaying one of the most comprehensive living collections of epiphytes in the Americas alongside tranquil, cross-cultural landscape rooms.
Highlights:
📊 Key Statistics: Explore an 11-hectare paradise that protects an extensive collection of nearly 3,000 orchid species, supported by a dedicated global scientific journal (Lankesteriana) and an active international plant taxonomy research division.
🌸 The World-Class Orchid Collections: Marvel at an unparalleled collection of native and international orchids, highlighting delicate micro-orchids, vibrant tropical specimens, and a rotating “Orchid of the Month” display inside their specialized greenhouse structures.
🇯🇵 The Authentic Japanese Garden: Find serenity inside a meticulously designed Japanese Garden room, featuring tranquil ponds, traditional bridges, a dedicated bonsai pavilion, and a historic tree gifted by the Embassy of Japan that survived the Hiroshima atomic bombing.
🌿 Secondary Forest Loops & Wildlife: Walk down wide, accessible paths looping through a preserved secondary premontane forest, offering a canopy alive with wild bromeliads, towering cacti, and over 100 species of native birds and butterflies.
Information:
🌼Type: Botanical Garden, Orchid Research Center
📍Place: Dulce Nombre, Cartago, Costa Rica
📅 Date: check visiting hours
☀️ Best Time to Visit: February to April to witness the absolute peak bloom of Costa Rica’s native orchid species during the dry season.
🌐Website: https://jbl.ucr.ac.cr/
