Urla: Uzbaş Arboretum

“We took our inspiration from nature; our determination from the sun; and our strength from the soil of our country.”

These are the words on the website splash page for Uzbaş Arboretum. This stop wasn’t on our original itinerary, but since it was a short detour off our route, we all agreed to check it out when Aylin suggested we go there.

Established in 1996, the arboretum grows a variety of palm trees, tropical and subtropical outdoor garden plants, and indoor plants … some that are endemic to Türkiye … some imported from around the world. The place is primarily a supplier of palms and plants for large-scale landscaping projects.

Skipping the 20-minute guided walking tour included in the ₺50/person ($1.79) admission, and the more expensive golf-cart tour, we decided to wander around at our own pace … stopping at the visitor center to purchase some organic olives and kumquat jam while we were at it.Read more