The
Aburi Botanic Garden is one of the most beautiful, peaceful and fascinating
places in Ghana. Opened in March, 1890, and covering 64.8 hectares and
overlooking the Accra coastal plain from an elevation of 370 to 460 metres
above sea level, the Aburi Botanic Garden is a must experience for every
Ghanaian as well as visitors to Ghana.
The beauty and uniqueness of this garden
stem from its relatively bracing, relieving Climate and the lushly scenic
setting. Its serenity makes it an ideal place for the stressed who wants
relief, the writer who wants solitary to write, the thinker for reflections,
newly weds for honeymoon, campers, nature lovers, recreationists and
sanatorium for the recuperating. It is also an excellent place for picnic
activities. Butterfly and bird lovers would love Aburi Gardens for the
presence of many species of butterflies and birds that would come so near as
if wanting to perch on one?s head. Another delight of Aburi Botanic Garden
is the blossoming mixture of indigenous and exotic trees of global
importance, aesthetics and medicinal properties.
How to get there. It is easy to go by
public transport as mini busses or trotros can be boarded at Tema Station in
Accra central, or at Odawna station near Kwame Nkrumah Circle, and also at
Madina. Aburi is just 35 Km away from Accra and probably less than an hours
drive.
Driving your own car, from Accra makes
is even easier, you will have to go through Achimota, Dome, then through
Kwabenya town, then drive straight through Brekuso village and within the
next 10 minutes you find yourself at a T-junction, then you take the left
turn and in 10 minutes you find yourself in the Aburi town where you cannot
miss the entrance to the beautiful garden. Just look up and you will see the
huge matured royal palm trees lined up along the street that seems to be
welcoming you.
It is interesting to note that there are
no mountains to climb when you drive through the Kwabenya route but a few
low hills, you will hardly notice. The road is coal tarred, smooth and
without potholes and you will not find much traffic on it. The Kwabenya road
was constructed as an alternative route to access the Paduase Presidential
Lodge without climbing the steep Akwapim hills as Mrs. Fathia Nkrumah, the
wife of the first president of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was not
comfortable traveling on the main steep winding Aburi road.
The small Brekuso
village you will find on your way itself has an interesting piece of Asante
related history that l wish to chip in here. There is a shrine in Brekuso
where lives a deity called Otutubanase. History has it that Nana Obiri Yeboa
(1660-1697) who was once Asantehene had only one sister called Manu. In Akan
custom, when a king dies, his sister?s son succeeds a him. Manu who was
expected to produce the next king was not having a child, so when they heard
that the deity Otutu could be of help to them, Manu traveled all the way
from Asante to Brekuso then part of Akwamu kingdom, to pray for a child. Her
prayer was granted and she had a son called Osei Kofi. She also named him
Tutu obviously after the god. So Osei Kofi became Osei Tutu who succeeded
Nana Obiri Yeboah as Asantehene and really built the Asante Empire with his
friend Komfo Anokye. The present occupant of the Golden Stool of Asante
kingdom Otumfuo Osei Tutu II took his stool name from King Osei Tutu I.
Today, Brekuso is under Akwapim
jurisdiction, certainly the powerful Akwamu empire had expanded to the area
at that time. A visitor to the Otutu shrine would see a hole covered with a
metal case, within that is a sword that is said to have been planted there
by Komfo Anokye. Is that mere coincidence? Or is it that Osei Tutu might
have visited the shrine with his friend? There is also the belief among some
historians that Brekuso must have been the place where Komfo Anokye and Osei
Tutu met for the first time.
At the entrance to the garden, visitors
are greeted by a tour guide who will do the welcome palm walk with you after
you have paid a cheap gate fee. The palm walk is an avenue of elegant palm (Roystonea
regia) of about 274 metres long stretching from the main entrance of the
garden to the car park. The knowledgeable guides do well to educate
visitors, about the origin, age and medicinal properties of most of the
plants in the garden.
Among the many exciting attractions
within the garden are The Bush House, The Rock Garden, The Pergola or Lovers
lane, The Ficus tree, the retired helicopter, and the school of
horticulture. The bush house, which is a relic of history is an open shed
with thatched roof supported on stone pillars. The floor is made of mud and
decorated weekly with red clay as is practiced in rural Ghana.
There are two bamboo groves one on
either side of the house. These have formal bamboo hedges and in front of
the house are collections of species of exotic flower plants so beautiful
that you will forever keep remembering them even long after you have left
the garden.
On the lawn surrounding
the Bush House is the very sensitive plant called mimosa pudica. When you
visit the Bush House, remember to touch any of the mimosa and look at what
happens. The famous Ficus tree, that was first discovered in 1906, has
successfully strangled its host and has now taken its place. For the
evidence, ask for the Ficus tree when you find yourself within the garden.
There are also many species of medicinal
and economic plants reserved to be managed for conservation of plant
genetics.
The array of personalities who have
pilgrimmed to the garden and have planted many plants there is worth
mentioning. Notable among the dignitaries who have planted trees to
commemorate their visit to the garden include: Queen Elizabeth 11, in 1961,
Gen Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979, Prince Charles in 1977, Gen. I.K. Acheampong
in 1973, etc.
Aburi's attractiveness to adventure
tourist has been greatly enhanced recently with rental bicycle for tours on
the mountain. There are marked out three self-guided mountain bike trails of
2 to 3 hours duration in the vicinity of Aburi, as well as a network of
guided trails of up to five days in duration.
Just take a weekend, away from the noise
and the pollution, to Aburi Gardens and you will experience the magic that
comes from the relaxation your body has desired for a long time. Of course,
you don't have to worry about accommodation and food, as there are enough
food and drinks joints as well as accommodation for the size of your pocket.
The Aburi Gardens Rest house is housed
in a former sanatorium inside the garden. This accommodation has TV and
fridge. You can book for your room in advance. There are other guesthouses
and hotels dotted around the garden where you can stay for a few days.
By Richard Kwame Debrah |