History of Caves Branch Botanical Garden

Some orchids described as exotic, extravagant, with liverish leaves and flamboyant, menacing blooms. Others symbolize elegance, quiet, unassuming beauty and tranquility.

Gongora Unicolor

Maxillaria tenuifolia
Catasetum intergerrimum
Trigonidium Egertonianum
Orchids are the world's most diverse plant family with the number of species estimated to be between 30,000 to 40,000 in over 800 genera. We have approximately 70 different species among our collection of more than 800 orchids in our garden. There are many more orchids and bromeliads at the lodge grounds that we continue discovering in it's natural habitat.

Our botanical garden was started with the collection that was purchased from Mrs. Ana D'Silva. It was her passion of 30 years to collect those plants and take care of them. Those orchids were part of her family, she could feel their needs, talked to them and loved them dearly. We became passionately involved with her plants as well, and since November 2006 almost doubled the original collection.

Some of the orchids will surprise you by it's astonishing shape, colour, texture and incredible perfume that will vary depending on the time of the day or night. Some of them are so delicate that you need to have a magnifying glass to see them, and some of them will be captivating because of the variety of the pollinators that will be visiting them. You will be surprised to witness how these flowers manipulate, connive, court, seduce and deceive insects into having getting pollinated.

We carefully study our collection and continue identifying species that we have under the experienced leadership of our Head Gardener, Jobito Santos Chan.

Many years ago Mr. Chan studied Organic Agriculture Indigenous Solution for a Sustainable Future in Santa Fe, USA . Because of his expertize we abstain from the use of any agro chemicals to treat plants and orchids. He uses natural herbs and remedies to combat plants diseases and harmful insects.

Mr. Chan is always willing to share what he knows about the local orchids and plants and you can stop by the orchid garden any time of the day. If you'll come in the heat of the day he will show you the beauty of the collection in it's full flamboyant colors, and advise to stop by later in the day to experience the magnificent scents coming from the orchids when the sun is gone. Real adventure in the world of orchids.. Adventure that must be experienced to be believed...But once experienced, Never Forgotten!