Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Mexico's National Botanical Garden Day will be celebrated this year on July 2nd. Created in 2006 by the National Association of Botanical Gardens, whose main objective is to raise awareness about botanical gardens and their role in the conservation and protection of the environment, the event, which takes place simultaneously across the country, is a day to enjoy the gardens, to enjoy the beauty of plants, and to understand the role they play in our lives.

Mexico's botanical gardens were probably among the first botanical gardens of the Western Hemisphere. Reflecting the love and respect the ancient Mexicans had for nature, these gardens have existed in Mexico since pre-Hispanic times.

Mexican emperors such as Moctezuma Ilhuicamina (Montezuma) created gardens into which they introduced plants and animals from other regions of the country, especially tropical medicinal plants that could not be grown on the Mexican highlands. Netzahualcoyotl (the poet prince) also created a botanical garden in Tecotzingo (present day Texcoco.) With the Spanish conquest, these gardens were mostly destroyed with the exception of the garden of Chapultepec, which existed as a botanic garden until recent times. Though now of a different nature, it can still be seen today as the major park of Mexico City.

Here in the Banderas Bay area, the Vallarta Botanical Gardens started in 2004 with a vision of building Mexico's greatest botanical garden in the enchanted tropical highlands of Jalisco, Mexico. Since then, it has won international accolades as a not-to-be missed highlight of any trip to Puerto Vallarta - so what better place to celebrate National Botanical Garden Day?

On Wednesday, July 2nd, Vallarta Botanical Gardens will celebrate the 9th annual Día Nacional de los Jardines Botánicos with a day full of fun that includes guided garden tours, identification of native plants, a workshop on orchid care and other educational activities.

The Gardens showcase a large collection of orchids and other native Mexican flora and fauna, so if you've even wondered what this flowering vine is called, or the name of that big tree with orange blossoms, the Puerto Vallarta Gardens may reveal the answer. There are plenty of places to explore, like a restaurant, a gift shop, a swimming hole in the river, a number of trails through the jungle areas, and shade houses where young plants get their start. Join us for an unrivaled botanical experience!

Note: While there, you can also check out the progress that's been made on the construction of the Orchid Conservatory, which will house The National Collection of Mexican Orchids. On July 26, the new facility will be dedicated in memory of Roberto González Tamayo, whose field research resulted in the discovery of many orchid species endemic to Mexico. The Gardens expect the conservatory to be completed sometime this Summer, and a grand opening is tentatively scheduled for December 13, 2014.

Located 30 minutes south of Old Town at Km. 24 on Highway 200, Vallarta Botanical Gardens offer something to keep every age group happy; from a Rose Garden for the romantic to jungle trails for the adventurous and a Carnivorous Plants area for the younger generation! Open from 10 am to 6 pm, 6 days a week (Closed Mondays). For more information, call (322) 223-6182 or visit vbgardens.org.

Click HERE to learn more about Vallarta Botanical Gardens.