Landscapes, Gardens, Flowers

Sri Lanka is a relatively small island but boasts a varied landscape of beautiful coastline and beaches, grassland plains, mangrove and other wetlands, moist and dry tropical forests at different elevations, rolling hills, lofty mountains, rushing rivers, tumbling waterfalls, and huge artificial lake-reservoirs, the oldest still in use dating from the 3rd century BC. We saw countless emerald-green rice paddies, vast terraced tea plantations, and small garden plots of seasonal vegetables tucked into any available bit of land. Most of the backbreaking work of planting and harvesting is done by hand. We explored several extensive botanical gardens, as well, with lush collections of trees, shrubs, and flowering plants, populated by all manner of insects, reptiles, birds, and primates. Sri Lanka is a feast for the eyes.