The St Vincent Botanic Gardens, on the northern edge of Kingstown, were established in 1765, making them one of the oldest botanic gardens in the western hemisphere. They were created to grow useful plants for the colonies — spices, medicinal plants and, most famously, breadfruit.
In 1793 Captain William Bligh — of Mutiny on the Bounty fame, on his second, successful voyage — delivered breadfruit saplings from Tahiti here. A tree descended from one of them still stands in the gardens, and breadfruit is now the national dish.
Top things to do: St Vincent Botanic Gardens
Find Bligh’s breadfruit
Ask one of the garden guides to show you the breadfruit tree grown from a sucker of Bligh’s original. They will also point out nutmeg, cannonball trees and the rare Soufrière tree.
See the St Vincent parrot
The gardens host a small aviary for the endemic St Vincent parrot, part of a long-running breeding and conservation effort.
Hire a garden guide
Local guides wait at the entrance. Agree a price first; a good guide brings the plants and their history to life in 45 minutes.
How to get to St Vincent Botanic Gardens
- From Kingstown: a 5-minute taxi ride or a 20-minute walk from the centre.
- On a tour: the Kingstown city tour and the gardens-and-fort tour both include it.
Insider tips
- Go early or late in the day when it is cooler.
- Entry has traditionally been free or very cheap; guides expect a tip.
Tours that include St Vincent Botanic Gardens
These bookable experiences are the easiest way to see St Vincent Botanic Gardens:
Private tour from €312 per group St Vincent: Montreal Gardens, Botanical Gardens & Fort Tour
A private half-day for garden lovers: the lush Montreal Gardens high in the Mesopotamia valley, the historic Botanic Gardens in Kingstown, the view from Fort Charlotte and a last stop at Villa Beach. The price covers a group of up to six.
- Montreal Gardens in the Mesopotamia valley
- The 1765 Botanic Gardens and Bligh’s breadfruit
- Mesopotamia lookout, Fort Charlotte and Villa Beach
Island tour from €53 St Vincent Mid-West Coast Tour
One of the cheapest full-coverage tours on the island: gardens, film set and beach, at an unhurried six-hour pace. A good first day for independent travellers who want to get their bearings.
- The 1765 Botanic Gardens, among the oldest in the Americas
- The Pirates of the Caribbean set at Wallilabou
- Swimming at Buccament Bay
Private tour from €150 per group St Vincent and the Grenadines: Kingstown City Tour
A private three-hour introduction to the capital with a guide: the old stone-arcaded streets, the two cathedrals, the market and the Botanic Gardens. The price is per vehicle for up to four people, which makes it good value for a family.
- The Botanic Gardens and parrot aviary
- Kingstown’s cathedrals and historic stone arcades
- The Iron Man statue and local markets
