A Visit to the Park
By AV Latinggam
The Lagud Seberang Agricultural Park is within 500 acres
of the 1,500 acres of the Research Station, administered by the Agriculture
Department Sabah. This Park consists of the Agriculture Research Station; seed
Production Centre for Cash Crop, Farmers Training Centre and Taman Pertanian
Sabah itself. One of the main attractions of the park is its huge collection of
native Orchids of Borneo rescued from the forests, especially those that could
have perished in logged areas. There are about 300 wild orchids with the most
fascinating being the Elephant Ears and lady’s Slipper orchids. There is also
the Hybrid Orchid Garden, sited within four acres of land and boasts 400
species of Orchid. The colourful hybrids are a sight to behold but are they
merely for show as they don’t sell cuttings unless it is during the Flower
Fest. Within the Park, there are also many other plants including food plants used
by the people in the past. The next must-visit site is the Evolution Garden,
where it shows the changes in the heritable traits of a population (flora and
fauna) over successive generations. The continuous frequencies of genes over
time may result in the evolution of the certain species or development of new
species from existing ones. The display of the formation of the earth; from
dusts to moss to grasses and trees to dinosaurs are shown within this garden
and interested individual may see the interesting transition from one type of
vegetation to another.
Within this garden are the huge water lilies which are
featured in brochures and photos of this park. They are as big as trays and
have been known to grow bigger than that. There are other gardens available
nearby for photo opportunities as well as a showcase of how typical gardens in
homes look like. Those in a quandary about landscapes and gardens can go and look
at these examples. The gardens are actually planned spaces, set aside for the
display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The
gardens incorporate both natural and man-made materials. Other interesting
sights include the various fruit trees that are available within the vicinity.
During the fruit seasons, guests and visitors usually walk through that area as
they can eat as much fruit as they want. For those who want to stay overnight
the park offer limited lodging and food upon request. Tenom is located about
four hours’ drive by road from Kota Kinabalu city. Buses and hired taxis are
available at the bus terminal near KK’s Merdeka Field.
