Just a few metres off the Lang'ata South Road is a serene arboretum where one can enjoy a nature walk or a quiet meeting, writes JECKONIA OTIENO
Apart from the Nairobi National Park and the Nairobi Arboretum, few places have expansive grounds with lush vegetation and gardens fit for nature walks. One such place is Langâata Botanical Gardens in Karen-Hardy along the Langâata South Road.
The big banner that welcomes a visitor at the gate offers a sneak preview of what is to be expected inside.
The paved road branches into the garden and the first point that attracts a visitor is the open yard with green grass, surrounded by trees and a well-manicured hedge of short flowers. Visitors can relax here and enjoy the serenity and calmness of the surrounding.
For those planning a quiet and exclusive wedding reception, team building activities, picnics and even a love proposal, this is a perfect place. But lovers of nature will enjoy a visit to Langâata Botanical Gardens the most. A visitor fishing at the pond in Lang'ata Botanical Gardens
The flora on display is very prominent and intoxicatingly inviting while the array of flowers along the edge of the open field make the place perfect for leisure and pleasure. The mixed-coloured flowers are well trimmed and made appealing by the lucidly green grass.
I take my time to venture into the deep of the gardens. I note the beauty with which the boughs hang to offer shade from the scalding sun that marks the first quarter of every year. Further on are exotic trees and flowers alongside the indigenous ones. This is where the nature trail begins.
The Langâata Botanical Gardens is actually a small arboretum with lots of vegetation and trees. The many birds try to outdo themselves as they chirp and dart from tree to tree. Most of them are small, but they still give the place the wild feeling a nature walk should have.
The paths are covered with gravel, which crunch with every foot movement, scaring the birds into flight. All along, the wind blows and offers a breeze that sways the leaves of the trees in this tranquil place overlooking Rongai. Over the paths are canopies that offer shade and the coolness desired for a nature venture.
In between the trees, the African touch is maintained in the wooden seats that dot the garden. The benches made from eucalyptus off cuts are strategically placed within the garden to offer a view and quietude that keeps the heart guessing. People who want privacy to discuss matters of importance can venture out here and sit under the trees.
