William Miranda Marín Botanical and Cultural Garden Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids William Miranda Marín Botanical and Cultural Garden
Botanical and Cultural Garden of Caguas
The entrance to the Garden
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Type	Botanical Garden
Location	Caguas, Puerto Rico
Operated by	Caguas Sustainable Development Office

The William Miranda Marín Botanical and Cultural Garden, also called the Botanical and Cultural Garden of Caguas, is a special place in Caguas, Puerto Rico. It's a huge area, about 235,800 square meters, that combines a beautiful botanical garden, an important archaeological site, and a peaceful natural reserve. It's a great spot to learn about nature and history.

Visiting the Garden
Garden History and Culture
Plant Collections
Gallery
See also

Visiting the Garden

This amazing botanical garden is easy to reach. It is located near the main cities of Puerto Rico. You can get there in just 30 minutes from San Juan.

The garden is managed by the Office of Sustainable Development in Caguas. You can visit from Thursday to Sunday. The garden is open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Garden History and Culture

The William Miranda Marín Botanical and Cultural Garden is more than just a garden. It's a multi-themed park that combines many interesting things. It acts as a nature reserve and an archaeological area.

Lotus flower in the Garden

You can find historical ruins here, like the old "Hacienda San José" sugar mill. There's also a rebuilt barrack where enslaved people lived long ago. Important archaeological sites of the taíno Indians are also preserved. These sites show artifacts from before Christopher Columbus arrived. They also show items from the time of Spanish colonization.

This garden celebrates the mix of cultures in Puerto Rico. It honors the Taíno, African, and Spanish roots. This blend is called criollismo. The garden has educational areas that teach about these different cultures.

Plant Collections

The botanical garden shows off many tropical plants. It also provides a home for animals that live among these plants. The plant exhibits are organized into several cool areas:

Arboretum: This section has different groves of trees.
- The Heritage Forest displays 36 types of native trees. These trees were very important to the island's ancestors. They provided food, shelter, and materials.
- La Arboleda Ancestral Taína celebrates the native heritage. It features a large public art project. This art is inspired by the ancient Taíno bateyes, which were ceremonial courts.
- The African Ancestral Grove is a special place. It honors African ancestors with a bronze monument. The monument represents the figure of Osaín.
- The Grove of Consciousness makes you think about protecting nature. It shows different tree species that are in danger of disappearing.
- La Arboleda Florida is a colorful area. You can enjoy 40 types of trees with beautiful flowers here.
- The plantation of the "Palo de Pollo" has unique trees. These "Palo de Pollo" (Pterocarpus officinalis) trees grow in very wet places. You can see them along the Caguitas River banks.
- La Arboleda Criolla explores how trees were used. It shows 15 types of trees from Caguas. These trees were important for wood in the 1800s and 1900s.
La Huerta Frutal: This area has 50 types of fruit trees. Both native and foreign fruit trees are here. Many of them are used in Puerto Rican cooking.
The Casa Jíbara y Siembra Agrícola Familiar: This section honors Puerto Rico's peasant grandparents. It shows a traditional family farm. There's also an exhibition hall.
The Planting of the Puerto Rican Artisan: This area celebrates Puerto Rican creativity. It shows 60 types of trees, herbs, and vines. These plants are used in traditional carving and crafts.
El Palmar: This section displays many types of palms. They come from different parts of the world. They are grouped by where they originally grew.
El Bambular: This area starts at the Plaza Agrícola. It runs along the Caguitas River. It has a collection of different bamboo species.
La Manigua: This is a Taíno word for a tropical wetland. It's an ecosystem with water-soaked soils. The plants here are special because they can grow with little oxygen in the soil.
The River Corridor: This is a planting project. It helps the plants along the Caguitas River grow back naturally. It connects to the "Honor to the River" project.
The Aquatic Plants and Tropical Fish Garden: This garden is in the old hacienda house area. It has a pond for aquatic plants. There's also a place to raise tropical fish.
The Plaza Agrícola Urbana: This area has six warehouses. They are used for growing crops using hydroponics. They also help grow practical plants.
The Butterfly: This special space is in the historic area. It is dedicated to raising and spreading butterflies.