Perdana Botanical Gardens

Malaysia, Malaysia

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Perdana Botanical Gardens (formerly Perdana Lake Gardens, Lake Gardens, and Public Gardens) is Kuala Lumpur's first and oldest large-scale recreational park, established in 1888 and measuring 91.6 hectares (226 acres), located in the heart of the city along Jalan Perdana (Venning Road) near the National Museum of Malaysia.

The park was brought to life by the vision of Alfred Venning, Chairman of the Kuala Lumpur Sanitary Board, who proposed creating a public garden as a green sanctuary amidst the burgeoning city, with support from British colonial official Frank Swettenham who approved the plan and secured a grant to clear 173 acres of land.

To create Venning's vision, the Sungai Bras-Bras was dammed to form a picturesque lake originally named Lake Sydney (after Swettenham's wife), now known as Perdana Lake, and the park served as a place of refuge from the city's hustle during colonial times. The garden's biggest transformation came in 2011 when former Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak officiated its rebranding as Perdana Botanical Gardens, reflecting its expanded focus on conservation, education, and biodiversity.

The park features large sculpted and manicured gardens with diverse collections of tropical plants including 800 species of orchids, mahogany trees over 300 years old, countless hibiscus blooms (Malaysia's national flower), ferns, edible plants, and aquatic plants, all prettily arranged with gazebos and a boardwalk around the lake with fountains.