Lloyd Botanic Garden

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Views from the Lloyd Botanical Garden in Darjeeling, India.

These half-hidden gardens (₹20), opened in 1878, contain an impressive collection of Himalayan plants, most famously orchids and rhododendrons. There’s also a wisteria, brought here from the Botanic Garden in Kolkata, that dates back to the garden's opening.

As it scales the steep mountainside, this 40-acre site spans three climate zones: upper indigenous, middle coniferous and lower exotic, the last holding conservatories, including 110 species of orchid in the Orchidarium. The park is a lovely place for a stroll or to bring a picnic.

To reach the garden, follow the signs down Loch Nagar near the Motor Stand, until the hum of cicadas replaces the honking of jeeps at the entrance.

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