On Saturday we visited Castleton Gardens, a beautiful sanctuary just outside of Kingston. The Gardens were established in 1862 in an attempt to experiment with different kinds of plants to see if they would thrive in Jamaica.

Although the grounds were greener than Kingston, the drought is still affecting the Gardens. The plants are still growing but the grass is yellow. Despite this, people are still lighting fires to clear away brush. We heard from the tour guide that the river is at the lowest point it has been in decades. It is about one foot deep now.

On a similar note, a fire burned last night in the hills overlooking Kingston in an area called Jack’s Hill. Luckily the fire was contained but the air was acrid with smoke for hours.