A walk through the Jungle.

Jungle trails at Lower Dover

Lower Dover boats over 1.5 miles of seasoned trails in protected Belizean Jungle. Guests that have the opportunity to stay at Lower Dover marvel at the flora and fauna that this diverse ecosystem has to offer. It’s a great place for amateur and professional photographers to test their skills.  We are always amazed at how each walk through the jungle is unique and how different things can catch different eyes.

Here are some photos from a recent walk on the medicinal nature trails at Lower Dover.

Jungle trails at Lower Dover.

Cohune Palm at Lower Dover

Plantain Tree at Lower Dover

Wild Pineapple at Lower Dover

Strangler Fig at Lower Dover

Waterfall at Lower Dover

Huge tree at Lower Dover.

Guanacaste Tree at Lower Dover.

Kiskadee- The bird in our logo, they’re always around at Lower Dover.

Mayflowers at Lower Dover.

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Friday Flower Photos: “Spring” in Belize

The dry season is officially on at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge in Belize. It is a little strange to see all of the flowers in Belize blooming as the leaves are dropping due to lack of rain. Lower Dover has a deciduous rainforest on the property, not the evergreen version found near the equator. This means most of the leaves fall in the spring when the there is no rain so the trees have enough energy to seed.

Growing up in the States, spring time meant green and growth, where as Belize has a lengthy dry season during the same months. It’s just hot and dry in Belize until the hurricane season starts in June. So if you visit Lower Dover in the next 2 months don’t be shocked to see lots of brown leaves on the ground. Luckily there are many bright flowers blooming to offset the lack of forest.

Flower in bloom from a Zericote Tree

Cashew blossom with ant pollinators

Papaya flower blossom

Orange Blossom at Lower Dover Belize Jungle Lodge

Nopal Cactus Blossom

Noni Fruit Blossom with bee pollinators

Purple jungle flower with bee pollinator

This tree gives off yellow flowers to signal the dry season

Pink tropical flower from the bunkhouse garden

Blooming flowers from the bunkhouse garden at Lower Dover

Tropical pink roses with morning dew at Lower Dover Belize Jungle Lodge

Lower Dover dormitory flower garden white blossoms

We grow Marigold's everywhere as a organic pesticide

Pink flowers found at the Lower Dover bunkhouse flower garden

Foto Friday: Lucky Gardening

Sometimes all you have to do is spit your watermelon seeds on the ground, and mother nature does the rest. Case in point, the flower bed in front of the Rasta cabana at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge.

Watermelon and Periwinkle in garden at Lower Dover Jungle Lodge

Only two months ago we were eating watermelon while staining the deck and I distinctly remember spitting a bunch of seeds in the garden to see if they would grow. Sure enough, a renegade watermelon decided to grow right alongside these pink and white periwinkles.

Black Orchid: National Flower of Belize

Black Orchid, The National Flower of Belize

Th Black Orchid,(Prosthechea cochleta), also commonly referred to as the Cockleshell or Clamshell Orchid, is not actually black at all. Rather, this unique orchid is dark blue with dark purple veins, making it appear black when hiding in the forest canopy.

The Black Orchid used to have 3 different latin names: Encyclia cochleata, Anacheilium cochleatum, and Epidendrum cochleatum, now that’s a lot of names to remember!, and it’s sure to be a trick question on Final Jeopardy some day…

Black Orchid, The National Flower of Belize

The Black Orchid is the national flower of Belize, and protected in all forests under Belize’s membership of CITES, an international agreement to protect plant and animal species in danger of extinction through international trade. It is illegal to remove orchids from the country of Belize without permit. The only ethical way to collect orchids in Belize is to scavenge them from fallen branches. Luckily, the Black Orchid is commonly cultivated internationally, but make sure to ask where it comes from before you purchase!

If you’re dying to see one, and are in Belize, look for them in front of the Xunantunich welcome center.