The importance of the Ethnobotanical Garden is not only huge because it is located to one side of the Santo Domingo Church at Oaxaca Downtown in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but it’s important for the amount of species this space conserves, nurses and reproduces. It is also important as it is the artistic work of the Maestro Francisco Toledo and the scene of union for many couples in marriage. The garden also generates awareness for the amount of endangered botanical species and the need to conserve them, along with creating knowledge about many other types of lesser-known flora.
The Ethnobotanical Garden of Oaxaca is a delight for the senses. It is necessary to make an appointment for a guided visit with no other purpose than enjoying the experience of this wonderful place. The people of the garden began to plant in the year 1998 and continued until today with internal projects like a greenhouse for new species each year. The plants are all from the state of Oaxaca and they come from different parts of the diverse state; in regions with arid and wet climates, tropical low zones and temperate and cold mountain climates. The garden thus represents the great diversity of climates, geological formations and types of vegetation that characterize Oaxaca.
The Ethnobotanic Garden is part of the Santo Domingo Cultural Center, which occupies the old convent that was built in the XVI and XVII centuries for the Dominican friars. The space that today is the garden was part of the old orchard of the convent. This space served as barracks in the mid-nineteenth century until 1994 and was occupied by bedrooms, parking, sports courts and other military installations. Today it also has a public library with books on the various species found in the garden.
The garden also has a body of water, sculptures and a space to hold private events such as weddings, parties or any other type of celebration; if you are lucky enough to make it onto the enormous waiting list that is. It is always important to discover and visit this type of space in any part of the world, but especially in a city as magical as Oaxaca. Whether on holiday or being lucky enough to go to an event, the Ethnobotanical Garden is a must-visit to enjoy paradise.
