How did the Botanical Garden Grow? A History
The Museum Garden, more accurately called the Botanical Garden, developed out of the project Restore Hope.
This project was aimed at beautifying parts of Grand Turk, and the Museum was allowed to develop the plot of land to the North.
Preparing the garden
The garden is located on the site of Bascombe House which burned down in 1986. Little is left of this building but visitors can see the ruins of the chimney and a few bits of foundation.
Bascombe House in the 1970s
In the garden visitors can see a wide variety of native and imported plants that can be found throughout the Islands. This includes plants that were once grown as part of an industry (cotton and sisal), used for medicines (Aloe Vera) or are used for food (sea Island Grape).
The wide range of plants attracts a large number of insects and birds. It is a good place to sit and relax: the sounds of the sea fill your ears, the aroma from the plants fills your nose and the beauty of the wildlife fills your eyes.
Museum garden in 2002
The area one can sit reuses 6 metal pillars. These came from the Old Iron Building on Front Street, which burnt down in the 1980s. The Pillars and other iron parts were shipped in from England in the 1870s and the sister building to the Iron Building still stands a few lots south of the Museum – if you look at the standing building one can see similar pillars as those in the Museum Garden.
Museum garden in 2002 looking back to the museum
The garden was heavily damaged in 2008 when Hurricane Ike devastated the island of Grand Turk. In the fall of 2010 the garden began its comeback with a new design, renovation and tours in February 2011. Visit the garden and see for yourself its transformation and enjoy the scenery.