Description of the attraction
The botanical garden in the northern city is a wonderful and often the only opportunity for its residents to get involved in nature, the life of "overseas" plants, to get acquainted with all their diversity and splendor.
The botanical garden of St. Petersburg traces its history back to pharmaceutical gardens / vegetable gardens, which were established in Russia during the reign of the first Romanovs to maintain field and state pharmacies. The immediate predecessor is the Moscow pharmaceutical garden, which in 1714 was moved to the new capital and located on Voronyi (later - Aptekarsky) island. Initially, the main purpose of his device was the cultivation of medicinal plants. Gradually, the Aptekarskaya Sloboda was formed on the island, in which employees of the Medical Chancellery settled. Medical research and training for pharmacists began.
During the reign of Emperor Alexander I, the Pharmacy Garden, which until now had been in disrepair due to scarce funding, was rebuilt according to the project approved by the emperor, the buildings were improved and rebuilt, the botanical and medical departments were merged. The garden became known as the Imperial Botanical Garden. The main goal of his activity was scientific activity, but with the preservation and continuation of the cultivation of pharmaceutical herbs. The Imperial Botanical Garden bought plants, live and dry, by seeds. A scientific library was organized, a museum was opened. The garden became a place for teaching gardening and horticulture, practical classes for students were held here. Throughout the nineteenth century, the garden replenished its collection of plants brought from all parts of the world by Russian travelers and seafarers.
Since 1930, the garden has been transferred to the jurisdiction of the USSR Academy of Sciences. After the Great Patriotic War, during which the garden was badly damaged by the bombing, it was rebuilt, restored and the almost lost collection of plants was renewed and enlarged.
At present, the area of the Botanical Garden's greenhouses is about 1 hectare, their total length is more than a kilometer. The collections of living plants collected here number more than 7, 5 thousand species from all, including the most exotic and remote corners of the planet. The abundance and variety of plants is amazing. There are "hanging gardens" of epiphytes that live high on the branches of tropical trees, and bizarre fern leaves are nearby.
Every year here you can see flowering, and then fruiting of coffee, cocoa, mango, bananas, flacurtia (tropical plum), citrus fruits (tangerine, lemon, orange), figs, Japanese medlar, pomegranate, feijoa and a number of other plants. Palm trees, Australian acacias, callistemons, jasmines bloom here, the aroma of which fills the entire garden. The garden has a magnificent collection of heathers, graceful ericas can be seen in winter, and beautiful azaleas bloom in spring. The rich and varied palette of colors of the Botanical Garden remains in the memory of visitors for a long time.
The Botanical Garden regularly hosts excursions for visitors, and for schoolchildren and students - specialized educational thematic excursions.
