Estrada Real - Taquari

Taquari is a small coastal town situated in the foothills of the Serra da Bocaina National Park. It is surrounded by nature, mangroves, beaches and gorgeous waterfalls. Taquari River flows adjacent to the northside of the town, then snakes through forestry before crossing the isolated, sandy Taquari Beach and emptying into Paraty Bay.

Established in 1971, the National Park is one of the largest protected areas in the Atlantic Forest. Encompassing about 106,000 hectares, nearly 60% of the vegetation is Atlantic Forest. The park is a combination of mountain range, sea level and coastline making it a diversified landscape that contains a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of them endemic to the area and/or endangered.

Three types of vegetation form the park, of which the palm species Euterpe edulis and the tree fern Dicksonia sellowiana, both formerly in abundance, are now rare and endangered due to illegal logging. Within its vast greenness, the park comes into colour with endemic flora species such as arums, orchids and bromeliads, as well as cacti and a variety of ferns.

There is a multitude of wildlife within the park from big cats such as pumas and jaguars, to primates like the endangered muriquis and dark-shouldered marmoset. Crab-eating foxes and red deer can be found in open areas or on the edges of the forest. The park has officially registered over 300 species of birds where the king vulture and the grey eagle are threatened with extinction, and woodpeckers are pecking away at the bark. Amphibians and invertebrates are aplenty with two butterfly species listed as endangered.

Taquari is a small and quiet place. It is a great place to use as a base for exploring the park, finding some waterfalls or heading to the beach for a dip in the sea.

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Stand with Ukraine - Hryshko National Botanical Garden

Hryshko National Botanical Garden was established in 1936 and contains 13,000 species of flora from all over the world. It was named after botanist Mykola Hryshko. Within its grounds are the Vydubychi Monastery and Trinity Monastery of St Jonas.

The garden is divided into separate zones, representing flora from different regions such as the Ukrainian Carpathians (mountains), the Plains of Ukraine, the Caucasus (between Black and Caspian Seas), Altai and Western Siberia and Asia. It has more than 350 species of orchids and the greenhouse cares for rare tropical and subtropical plants.

Garden designs may include parterre (an ornamental garden with paths between the beds), decorative succulents, woody plants or flower beds filled with roses, irises, chrysanthemums, tulips, and lilies to name a few.

The tropical and subtropical collection may include bromeliads, azaleas, camellia, cacti, palm, and ornamental deciduous plants.

The highlight of the garden is in May, during the lilac’s blooming season. It has a heady sweet fragrance and blooms in delightful shades of lilac, light purple, and lavender.