The Baguio Botanical Garden, formerly known as Imelda Park, is a botanical garden in Baguio, Philippines, located on Leonard Wood Road between Wright Park and Teacher's Camp.[2]
| Baguio Botanical Garden | |
|---|---|
 An overview of the gardens | |
 | |
| Type | Urban |
| Location | Benguet, Cordillera, Philippines |
| Nearest city | Baguio |
| Coordinates | 16°24′52.42381″N 120°36′47.49145″E / 16.4145621694°N 120.6131920694°E |
| Owned by | Land Management Bureau[1] |
| Visitors | 100,000 monthly[2] (in 2022) |
| Open | 6AM-6PM |
| Status | Open |
| Collections | Dahlia, cactuses, and succulents |
Names
editThe garden goes by a few different names,[1] including:
- Botanical & Zoological Garden, the former name for the park when it was a zoo
- Centennial Park, for being "the Summer Capital" of the Philippines for 100 years
- Igorot Village, for the culture-inspired carvings, sculptures, and huts scattered around the park
- Imelda Park, for the former first lady
History
editThe garden, which was previously a zoo,[1] was renamed to the Imelda Park by Ferdinand Marcos for his wife in 1970.[3]
The park closed for ten months in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] During that time, it underwent a renovation which made the park more aesthetic and added ramps.[4]
Features
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The park has art galleries provided by the Baguio Arts Guild, and sculptures displaying the culture of the Igorot people. A statue by Ben Hur Villanueva commemorating the people who built Baguio can also be found.
The park also contains a friendship garden featuring the countries United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Thailand, which contain elements of the country's culture, such as temples and statues. It also contains a sunflower farm and gardens spotlighting Dahlia, cactuses, marguerites, orchids, and succulents.[4]
One of the garden's main attractions is a 150 m (490 ft) long tunnel which was dug out by Japanese Imperial Army soldiers during World War II for use as storage, treatment, and a bunker.[2][5]
See also
editReferences
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- ^ a b c "Baguio Botanical Garden – Go Baguio!". Go Bagio!. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Ergino, Jervis (December 24, 2022). "Baguio Botanical Garden Complete Guide". Hike To Mountains. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Aaron, Jerome (October 27, 2015). "From Imelda Park to Botanical Gardens to Centennial Park". Cush Travel Blog. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ a b M, Lea (March 19, 2022). "Botanical Garden Baguio City Travel Guide". Baguio City News. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ Agranum, May (September 5, 2016). "Revisiting the Botanical Garden of Baguio City". Jeffer's Odyssey. Archived from the original on June 27, 2023. Retrieved June 27, 2023.