Bahamas Philately: Ardastra Gardens - The Digital Philatelist

The site of Ardastra Gardens was originally designed by Jamaican horticulturalist Hedley Edwards in 1937. He named the gardens Ardastra, from the latin words ardua ad astra, meaning “striving towards the stars” because he felt that it depicted a ‘utopia of peace, beauty and tranquillity’. He developed the picturesque and exotic gardens as a nature preserve, later bringing in the endangered Caribbean flamingo from the island of Inagua in the 1950’s, developing what was to become a highly successful breeding programme. Over time, the birds were trained to perform for visitors and Ardastra became their permanent home.