After the royal period, the construction of botanical gardens in Sri Lanka begins at a time when Sri Lanka has become a colony of the English nations.Accordingly, Peradeniya Botanical Garden was established in 1826, Haggala Botanical Garden in 1861 and Gampaha Botanical Garden in 1876. After 131 years, the country's first dry zone botanical garden was built in the Mirijjawila area of Hambantota in 2008. Mirijjawila is located close to Magampattu in Hambantota district, and this area can be called as a thick forest area with thorn bushes with plants such as andara and cactus. This area remains a bushy area with thorn bushes due to various plantations in the past. In the year 2006, pimburapat was prepared for the construction of dry zone botanical gardens in Mirijjawila area. In this area with low nutrient soil and dry soil, at the beginning of the garden, a steady water supply was first applied and then nutrient soil was added. Around the year 2008, the planting of trees in the garden was started.
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The first part of the park is arranged as a mixed zone. The area has been colored with the use of colorful flowering plants using special landscaping techniques. There are plants like pinna, marathondi, galandara, kosbatti etc. and plants that produce purple, white, red flowers etc.In the dry zone botanical garden, in order to demonstrate the evolution of plants botanically, separate zones have been established for education in such a way that the variety of plants found in the dry zone can be studied, and the related plants have been planted so far. The dry zone contains many types of drugs used in local Ayurvedic medicine. Conservation zones for all these types of medicines have now been established in the Mirijjawila Dry Zone Park. We who are used to imported fruits sometimes don't even know many types of local fruits. All underutilized fruit species with numerous species and all plants with timber value have been planted here in a separate zone.
The main objectives of establishing the park are ex-situ conservation of arid and semi-arid species, education about little known and underutilized plants of arid zone, specialization in landscape enhancement of arid zone and promotion of medicinal plants, botany and floristry. Learning and training in cultivation and promoting eco-tourism etc. Various species of animals can also be seen in this botanical garden, and peacocks are more common. Rabbits, as well as birds caught our eye. We visited the park at sunrise, the beginning of a day, and in the evening, when the sun sets, to bring its true beauty closer to you. In-situ conservation is
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entrusted to the Department of Wildlife and Forest Conservation, while off-site conservation is done by the Department of Botany. According to the park authorities, about 90% of the works of the Mirijjawila Dry Zone Park spread over an area of 300 acres have been completed. They will be able to complete these activities in another five years and present a beautiful dry zone park to the people. We must remember that it is the responsibility of all of us to preserve the history of the Sri Lankan plant community, and as a garden, it attracts tourists from all over the world. The front of the botanical garden is also beautifully landscaped, and the area has been reserved for all the tourists visiting the garden to eat and provide sanitary facilities. Shops have even been installed for the needs of tourists in this beautifully designed area. Come to Mirijjavila to visit Sri Lanka's first dry zone botanical garden and contribute to the preservation of this garden that you should contribute to the future. Do not leave any items you bring in the park, and arrange to take them back. Do not harm any plant species in the garden. Contribute to the conservation of flora and fauna.