The 20-acre Hortus Malabaricus, a lush tribute to the renowned 17th-century botanical masterpiece of the same name, is tucked away in Cheruthuruthy area, near Thrissur, as a living chronicle of Kerala’s botanical wonders. And its creators want the garden to foster a deeper appreciation for the intricate relationship between people and plants.Authored by Dutch military commander and botanist Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede, ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ meticulously documented the medicinal plants and flora of the Malabar coast. The garden version brings the historic work to life, preserving over 1,200 plant species, including 720 of the 742 featured in van Rheede’s treatise. The garden showcases the state’s indigenous medicinal plants and the distinctive biodiversity of the Western Ghats. It was created by the SciGenom Research Foundation (SGRF), a non-profit organisation started in 2010 by Sam Santhosh, an NRI from Thrissur. “Many plants endemic to Kerala and the Western Ghats are endangered and can go extinct if we don’t take measures to conserve them. Moreover, most of them have not been studied in detail. We hope that our garden will be a living bio-bank that will be useful to researchers from all over the world,” Sam said, explaining the thought behind the venture.“Sam was of the view that it is important to record and conserve the traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and the idea to develop a garden based on the ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ emerged from that understanding. Today, the garden is more than just a botanical archive. It is a celebration of Malabar’s natural legacy,” says P Manoj, a naturalist who was part of the team that developed the garden. “This research connects the dots between contemporary ecological knowledge and history. We want to encourage more study and cooperation in the areas of botany and conservation by preserving indigenous knowledge,” Manoj pointed out.According to the team, there are a number of botanical gardens in the country where a great many species are preserved. “However, a garden exclusively for plants mentioned in the ‘Hortus Malabaricus’ is the first of its kind,” he added. The park has more than 50 organically grown vegetables, a variety of bananas, some Andaman palms, old cycads, various types of palm, and 25 kinds of pepper, in addition to plants that van Rheede documented. It is also hosts migratory birds, rare insects and other animal life. We have preserved 55 of Vishnu’s sacred plants, 46 of Shiva’s, and 14 that both of them share. Manoj said. “There are plants that symbolise the 24 tirthankaras in Jainism and a man-made stream with seven little waterfalls that extends up to the Lumbini tank, similar to the one in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha. The garden will be formally opened on January 27 at 5.30pm. Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh will mark the event by planting a tree in the garden. Dr Robin Coningham, a professor at Durham University, in the UK, will be a special guest.