In the early days, botanical gardens were defined as places open to the public where plants were grown, labeled and cataloged. Originally constructed to be large green houses for the preservation and study of plants life, they were primarily frequented by serious and amateur botanists. Today as cities and urban areas continue to expand, the role of botanical gardens are becoming green outdoor places where the city dwellers go to get in touch with nature.

Even Aaron Teasdale, our podcast guest this week, talked about the importance of getting out in nature and the outdoors as a great way to take a break and reset and recharge. The outdoors and nature has this incredible ability to do wonders for our mind, body and soul.

If you missed Aaron’s podcast interview, you can listen to it here.

The Orto Botanico di Padova is a botanical garden in Padua, in the northeastern part of Italy. Founded in 1545 by the Venetian Republic, it is the world’s oldest academic botanical garden housing around 7000 plant species that is still in its original location.

In recent times, the purpose of these botanical gardens has greatly expanded to include rescuing plant biodiversity, offering programs of research and education to citizens, creating places of refuges from modern life, and maintaining centers for the long-term preservation of plant species before they vanish from their usual habitats.From their early days, botanical gardens have existed to help humans get acquainted with the natural world around them. According to a Wanderlust article, here are some of the most famous botanical gardens in the world.

#1 Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Founded in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal, the park was originally intended to acclimatize spices like nutmeg, pepper and cinnamon from the West Indies before they were imported to Europe. It was opened to the public in 1822, and continues to be one of the most important botanical research sites in Brazil

#2 Brooklyn Botanic Garden, New York City, USA

Located in the Prospect Park neighbourhood, this 52-acre garden was founded in 1910 and has over 900,000 visitors each year. It boasts over 200 cherry trees, including 42 different species and cultivated varieties, making it one of the best places outside of Japan to experience cherry blossoms.

#3 Singapore Botanic Garden, Singapore

The Singapore Botanic Garden has sat on the edge of busy Orchard Road for over 158 years and is the only tropical garden listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. It is also something of a Mecca for orchid lovers, with over 20,000 examples of this delicate flower dotted around the grounds.

#4 Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia

Sitting on the edge of Sydney’s towering central business district, the Royal Botanical Gardens occupy a prime spot on Sydney Harbor, with the city’s stunning Opera House at its western gate. Opened in 1816, the garden is the oldest scientific institution in Australia.

#5 Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town, South Africa

Set against the eastern slopes of Cape Town’s Table Mountain, the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is one of the most beautiful in the world. It was the first to be listed as a UNESCO world heritage site and one of the few in the world to only cultivate indigenous plants. It was founded in 1913.The good news is that today there are very few nations of the world without botanical gardens.

Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), a London-based center of the gardens global network, has members in more than 100 countries. BGCI has documented over 150,000 plants in cultivation in botanical gardens. In some countries botanical gardens act as repositories for plants that are facing extinction. Guardianship and preservation of plants is the garden’s’ biggest responsibility.

Most botanical gardens today are committed to fighting plant extinction and the loss of biological diversity. Unfortunately all around the world, plant habitat and diversity are disappearing under an onslaught of urban development, agriculture and farming. Climate change is also affecting plant survival and causing some species to disappear. Urbanization and migration of people and animals also brings forth invasive and non-native species that often oust out native species for habitat and survival. Furthermore, as urban cities continue to spread and people find new ways to entertain themselves like big shopping malls and amusement parks, botanical gardens fall by the wayside and become scarce. Even university botany departments are shrinking due to lack of funding and resources.

Plant blindness is a term coined by professor James Wandersee of Louisiana State University, and Elizabeth Schussler of the Ruth Patrick Science Education Center refers to humans’ inability to see or notice the plants in their environment. This inability brings forth lack of appreciation for the natural world and often times causes a drastic reduction in people visiting places such as botanical gardens. Most people in developed nations tend to see plants as merely a green, blurry backdrop for the animals and human-made objects that populate their visual field. The cure for such blindness often is botanical education, plant mentorship, and even direct experience to make plants more valued.

There are many great reasons why we should visit botanical gardens, either in our own neighborhood or even when we visit other cities and countries.

#1 Access to unique plant collections and variety unlike any found out in nature

At the heart of every botanical garden is its unique collection of plants, and the opportunity for visitors to get a close-up look at interesting plant species they may not otherwise be able to see. Some botanical gardens exist for the sole purpose of acquiring and maintaining large collections of regional native species. Others specialize in tropical plants, medicinal plants, rare and endangered species, or plants of historical significance. Regardless, botanical gardens are huge treasure chests of information as it relates to plant and plant biodiversity for all to enjoy.

#2 Sharing of information through education and events

Botanical gardens work hard to instill an appreciation for the role plants play in supporting the Earth’s ecosystem. One way they do this is by offering a wide array of educational programs and often free events to their visitors. Ranging from basic gardening to botanical sketching, there are classes and plant-based education programs geared for every interest and every age.

Throughout the year, botanical gardens also host numerous festivals and special events that are open to the public. These may include flower shows, art exhibits, concerts, plant sales, holiday-themed parties, or book signings. Many of these events are free to the general public, or at least free with the price of a membership.

#3 Supporting plant conservation

According to Botanical Gardens Conservation International, it is estimated that there are 270,000 plant species in the world, and one in eight are threatened with extinction. Current threats include habitat loss and degradation, the introduction of alien species, over-exploitation, pollution, disease, and global climate change. By visiting a botanical garden, you are helping support the important conservation work being done to preserve and protect the world’s plant species.

#4 Learn about local culture and community

Botanical gardens are a wealth of information not just about plant life but also about the community and country they are in. What better way than to learn about a culture than to learn and observe how the environment and the biodiversity of a place has evolved. Visiting a local botanical garden in a country you are visiting is a great and relatively inexpensive way to learn about local community.

#5 A place of refuge in nature

Probably the best reasons to visit a botanical garden is to simply slow down and reconnect with the natural world. As life gets more and more hectic and busy, the time spent in nature gets more and more space. We have shared earlier the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku. Forest bathing is not what you might think but simply the art of getting outdoors into the woods and natural spaces as a way to re-establish our innate connection with nature. What better place to practice this art of forest bathing than in a botanical garden, especially if you are in the heart of an urban jungle. Strolling through an indoor arboretum filled with blooming tropical plants can be a great stress buster.Nearly every major city has a botanical garden, which is wonderful for urban populations that don’t ordinarily have access to a lot of green space. A trip to a botanical garden can be relaxing, inspiring, educational, and a good way to get a quick gardening fix. And you might even walk away with new ideas, interests or even hobbies that are related to the natural environment.

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