Hope Botanical Gardens

Hope Botanical Gardens, also known as the Royal Botanical Gardens, is a 200 acre park and gardens located in St Andrew, Jamaica.

History
Major Richard Hope's estate was established after 1655 when the British took over Jamaica from the Spanish. Richard Hope was a commander in the British Army and received his estate due to his assistance in gaining control of Jamaica. It was developed as a sugar plantation with a watermill.

In the 19th century the property was inherited by Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. According to the Legacies of British Slave-Ownership research centre at University College London, Buckingham was the beneficiary of payment as a slave owner in the aftermath of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 with the Slave Compensation Act 1837.

The gardens were established in 1873 from a section of the estate. They were initially used as a site for experimental cultivation, particularly of sugarcane, but also developed into public pleasure garden. The gardens were closely connected with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, through regular correspondence and sharing of plants, research, and staff. Hope became the headquarters of the Department of Botanical Gardens and Plantations in 1898, and of the Department of Agriculture in 1908.

Attractions
Attractions at the gardens include a palm grove, a cactus garden, an orchid house, and ornamental ponds. This site is maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Jamaica).