This small cemetery, well maintained by Peredeniya gardeners under the aegis of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, is a poignant reminder of those who died defending Sri Lanka from the Japanese attacks in World War II.   There are 207 graves of British, Indian, Ceylonese, African, Canadian, French and Italian military in a garden that is filled with vibrant tropical plants.  United in death as in war, the inscriptions on their tombs bear witness to their youth and to the co-existence of different religions – Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian.

 

Once the Royal Garden of Kandy, whose origins go back to the 14th century, the beautiful 60 hectare Peradeniya Garden is a joy to visit.  Bordered by the Mahaweli River, with great lawns and a lake near the centre, it is perfectly laid out for easy walking and viewing of the spectacular plant life here.  It is extremely well cared for and has several specialist collections, including a superb arboretum, an orchid house and garden, a spice garden, palms, bamboos and flower gardens.

The magnificent Pride of Burma, a tropical evergreen tree with stunning red flowers, is often found near Hindu and Buddhist temples.A view from the arboretum to a Palm Avenue, one of three in the garden.

The Royal Palm Avenue along the main central Drive.

A Cannonball Tree.  Sacred to the Hindu deity Shiva because the shape of the pink, highly scented flower has a hood like the head of a cobra.  However, the heavy fruit which resembles a cannonball has a most unpleasant smell.

Display in the Orchid House.

 

A Nutmeg Tree bearing fruit.   Once dried, the nut in the centre of the fruit produces nutmeg; the red covering of the nut is dried and ground to produce mace.

A Cardamom Plant.