Hope Botanical Gardens

Major Richard Hope's estate was established after 1655 when the British took over Jamaica from the Spanish.^[1] Richard Hope was a commander in the British Army and received his estate due to his assistance in gaining control of Jamaica.^[2] It was developed as a sugar plantation with a watermill.

In the 19th century Hope was inherited by Richard Temple-Nugent-Brydges-Chandos-Grenville, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos. The property had belonged to his mother's family and it was passed to him via a marriage settlement. The Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery research centre at University College London has documented how Buckingham received compensation as a slave owner in the aftermath of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. The money was paid not paid directly to him but to the trustees of his marriage settlement.^[3] The 2nd Duke was declared bankrupt in 1847.

The gardens were established in 1873 from a section of the estate.^[4] They were initially used as a site for experimental cultivation, particularly of sugarcane, but also developed into public pleasure garden.^[5] The gardens were closely connected with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, through regular correspondence and sharing of plants, research, and staff.^[6] Hope became the headquarters of the Department of Botanical Gardens and Plantations in 1898, and of the Department of Agriculture in 1908.^[7]

Attractions at the gardens include a palm grove, a cactus garden, an orchid house, and ornamental ponds.^[2] This site is maintained by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (Jamaica).^[8]