Establishment of a modest Tigray botanical garden in Belgium - An illustration of the Afromontane vegetation

The Afromontane biogeographic region includes plant species found in Africa's highlands. Temperatures in these regions are comparable to those encountered in temperate climates, with the major temperature contrast being between day and night. The Dogu'a Tembien massif in Tigray is a ‘sky island’, that served as model for the establishment of a modest Afromontane floral park. The garden, dedicated to the slain Tigray people, was established in 2023 and has six woody, four herbaceous, one palm and one succulent species. The garden is managed organically, with compost and horse manure used as fertilizers, no herbicides, and only a metaldehyde-based molluscicide. Geomembrane sheets are used to limit the abundant local vegetation, and plant labels are prepared in French with scientific and Tigrinya names in small lettering.