About the Garden >> General Characteristics of the Area

Topography: the area shows a characteristic topography, it is located on an average altitude of 1850 meters above sea level. It shows very pronounced slopes, with few declivities and a large plateau of approximately 3 hectares. (Conti, G. 1998; Sanchez, G. 1998).

Soil: the lower of the area is constituted by alluvial inputs of the river that traverses it and the depositions of colluvial origin that come from the higher parts of the landscape. The pouring of strong slopes has superficial soils by a sequence of gray and thick quarzose sandstones with intercalations of siltstones and red sandstones. These materials form an acid type of soil, with low contents of organic materials and high contents of interchangeable aluminum. (Conti, G. 1998). According to the fertility system of the soil (proposed by Buol et. al.); it is defined five cartographic units from which the Gea units (48, 8%) and Ga units (34, 5%) occupy the 78,3% of the area. (Conti, G. 1998; Sanchez, G. 1998).

Hydrology: bordering the hill, we find a spring that ends in a marsh on Albarregas River.

Climate: there is humidity, with abundant rainfall and temperature between 12 and 20 Celsius degrees; the lowest temperatures are found in January and the highest ones in May and June. The annual average of precipitation is 2036 mm. The monthly averages of relative humidity are between 74% and 81%. The average of annual value of evaporation is 1514 mm. (Sanchez, G. 1998).

Vegetation: a secondary forest vegetation type composed by invading species, produced by the direct and indirect action of man. Around the hydrologic route, there has been a natural forest environment decorated with exotic hanging plants, different kinds of ferns and aquatic plants. The area belongs to the life zone called “Selva nublada” which is characterized by presenting annual precipitations over 2000 mm and altitude over 1600 meters above sea level. (Sanchez, G. 1998).

Nowadays, the garden counts with different thematic areas where there are represented different life zones that exist in Venezuela: xerophytic garden, aquatic garden, medicinal plants garden, deciduous or tropical dry forest, cloud forest, bromeliad, orchid garden and de satellite station “Loma Redonda” where native and exotic paramo plants are exhibited.