The Kharkiv Botanical Garden is well known not only in its hometown, but throughout Ukraine. It is the oldest botanical garden in the country, and its history began in 1804, at the same time as the history of Kharkiv University.
The first collection was based on a small area, directly on the territory of the university. And since then the Botanical Garden has been actively expanded and developed with all its might. Initially, the collection was expanded through exchanges with other botanical gardens and amateur gardeners. Most of the documents are still archived.
Knyaz Pototskuy presented for the garden more than 50 young acacia trees and 150 fruit trees. He actively helped the development of the project, as he was fond of plants. With his help, a stone gate fence was built, wells were dug to take water, and a stone greenhouse and a greenhouse for exotic plants were built.
Unfortunately, in wartime a lot of plants had to be removed from Kharkiv. Some of the collection has not yet been restored. However, even in those difficult times, the government allocated resources to supply heat and energy so that rare species do not disappear or freeze. Although they had to be replanted, virtually everything was preserved. And now all Kharkiv residents and city visitors can enjoy the beauty of unusual flora.
Kharkiv Botanical Garden Today
The total area of the Kharkiv Botanical Garden is about 42 hectares. It was significantly expanded in 1998. The new site on the slope of Sarzhinsky ravine has joined the “Old Grounds”
One of the main areas of work is the study of endangered and rare plants. The collection has real relics, endangered species and exotic species. In total , there are more than 7 thousand species. About 100 of them are listed in the Red Book and another 20 in the Red List of Europe. Some tropical and mountainous exotic species can be found in only a few countries around the world. The biotechnology department is careful about plant protection. A special pride is the collection of medicinal plants. There are about 500 species in the garden. Also interesting will be the collection of herbarium, which includes more than 36 thousand samples.
How to get to the Botanical Gardens?
The Kharkiv Botanical Garden is located in the heart of the city, at the address Klochkivska str., 52. It is interesting to visit it at any time of the year:
- Greenhouses with tropical plants are open in winter time;
- Aromatic magnolia blooms in spring;
- The coolness and shade of trees near the pond will attract you in summer;
- The golden leaves in autumn look really magical.
Group tours are held here on a regular basis. You can join them at certain times or pre-order the tour. In addition to the new experiences and vivid photos, you can also buy seeds and herbs of herbaceous and woody plants while taking a walk, get some care advice and even landscape advice.
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