Botanical garden - April
I couldn't hold my horses. I was thrilled to hear of Botanical garden's Opening of the season 2008 last week and planned to visit some time this week. But seeing all the windy weather, I thought by the time I get to visit the place, all the lovely trees in bloom will have lost half of their spring magic due to strong winds ( I know, not the kind of thing most people would worry about).
Anyway, I was punished for my wanton behaviour, as half of the garden was still temporarily inaccessible due to some digging about. I guess the gardeners and employees in there hibernated for too long. They should have done all that by now. It was sad to see some rear parts of the garden neglected. Hopefully someone will bring a touch of green thumb there soon. Nevertheless, always a pleasure to be reminded that there is more to life than cars and exhaust fumes.
The Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Natural Science and Mathematics was founded in 1889 by botany professor, Dr. Antun Heinz. The garden covers a surface of 4.7 ha. The main part of the botanical garden is the arboretum, built in the style of an English garden. The flower garden is built in the French style, with strict symmetrical lines. The eastern part of the botanical garden includes two artificial lakes, with wetland cedars growing nearby.
The four phytogeographical regions are represented: karst, alpine, Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean. Greenhouses are not open to the public, but a good portion is out in the open during the summer months (Mediterranean plants, palms, cacti and other succulents). Some 10,000 different plants species are grown in the Botanical garden. The collection is expanded with the exchange of seeds with other botanical gardens and arboreta throughout the world (some 350) or by the transfer of seeds or live plants from the original habitat.
The first plants were planted in 1892, after some preparatory work. Already by the end of that year, the garden was completed.
Always an oasis of calm in a busy city
I'm sure all of the fellow-gardeners know what I mean by saying that we are surrounded by such amazing diversity, and botanical gardens are just the right places to appreciate that.
Many old trees have surrendered
to the effects of the last years drought
I tried not to make records of the neglected parts of the garden, as I'll still give them a month or two to prove me wrong, but a certain Martian that followed me around managed to do just the opposite (I noticed that many gardeners out there are in some way related to Martians )
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