Jardín Ethnobotánico de Oaxaca

Oaxaca (v)

128 I was most intrigued by the cacti in the Oaxaca ethnobotanic garden. The life force in these inhospitable plants, and the beauty in the patterns on their skins. It amazes me. This is pure survival. And I must admit, the cacti and pond installation in the end of the guided tour was really aContinue reading “Oaxaca (v)”

Oaxaca (iii)

112 There is definitely a point to having a guide explain things in the ethnobotanic garden of Oaxaca. There were no signs, but the guide was very knowledgeable and explained all about the wild and the cultivated, the native and the species that were brought here by the Europeans. The state of Oaxaca, according toContinue reading “Oaxaca (iii)”

Oaxaca (ii)

44 The ethnobotanical garden in Oaxaca lies in the former monastery gardens, the beds separated by a grid of narrow gravel paths and surrounded by the high monastery stone walls. It was originally part of the 17th century monastery grounds, and it wasn’t opened as an ethnobotanic garden until 1998. The surrounding buildings, the formerContinue reading “Oaxaca (ii)”

marigolds

42 & 43 How we change through life fascinates me. Tastes, for example. Some change happens with active practice, like learning to love smelly cheese or wine. Other change surprises you. Growing up, I never liked marigolds. This orange flower, so common in ornamental flowerbeds, I thought they looked stiff, they smelled disgusting. Were justContinue reading “marigolds”

Oaxaca (i)

7 Oaxaca (i): I was so excited about the ethnobotanical garden when visiting Oaxaca for a conference in 2017. Ethnobotany has become one of my academic side interests, so I was enthusiastically looking forward to visiting this place. And then I arrived, and realised the only way to enter is to take a guided tour.Continue reading “Oaxaca (i)”