Penang Botanic Gardens
Malaysia, Penang, Georgetown, April 2011
The history of these gardens dates back to 1794 when it started as a spice garden, only 8 years after the establishment of George Town on Penang Island. This settlement enabled the East India Company to establish a strategic base to challenge the Dutch spice trade and maritime supremacy in the Straits of Malacca:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penang_Botanic_Gardens