Auroville Botanical Gardens

Forty-four acres of eroded ground replanted as a conservation garden for the Tamil Nadu Dry Evergreen Forest, one of the most reduced habitats in India. Around 250 tree species are arranged across some fifteen themed areas, and the large nursery behind them supplies restoration planting at schools, hotels and resorts across the region. Open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 4:30pm, closed on Sundays and public holidays; entry is free, but a prior appointment is required and guided tours are arranged by email beforehand. Half an hour is enough for a look, two hours goes quickly, and there is a small shop for plants and tools.

A near-vanished forest rebuilt species by species - book ahead and it is nearly yours