| A botanical garden is a place in which plants are | | | | the pressure of dense urban population, and perhaps |
| grown and displayed primarily for scientific and | | | | even develop new interests and hobbies having to do |
| educational purposes. It consists chiefly of a collection | | | | with the natural environment. In these special parks, |
| of living plants, grown out-of-doors or under glass in | | | | plants from all over the world are scientifically |
| greenhouses and conservatories. It usually includes, in | | | | cultivated, studied, and artistically displayed for the |
| addition, a collection of dried plants, or herbarium, and | | | | pleasure and enlightenment of the public. Arboretums |
| such facilities as lecture rooms, laboratories, libraries, | | | | specialize in raising trees and shrubs (woody plants) in |
| museums, and experimental or research plantings. | | | | their natural surroundings. They may exist |
| The plants in a botanical garden may be arranged | | | | independently or as part of a larger botanical garden. |
| according to one or more subdivisions of botanical | | | | Unlike ordinary parks, botanical gardens and |
| science. The arrangements may be systematic (by | | | | arboretums are laid out with more than just the |
| plant classification), ecological (by relation to | | | | beauty of the landscape in mind. They will offer |
| environment), or geographic (by region of origin). The | | | | sculpture and cast stone water features Although |
| larger gardens often include special groupings, such as | | | | trees and shrubs may be interspersed throughout the |
| rock gardens, water gardens, wildflower gardens, and | | | | area to enhance the pleasant surroundings, plants are |
| collections of horticultural groups produced by plant | | | | usually grouped according to their scientific |
| breeding, such as roses, tulips, or rhododendrons. A | | | | relationships. Often there are small, special gardens, |
| plantation restricted to exhibits of woody plants is | | | | such as rose gardens, rock gardens, wildflower |
| called an arboretum. Most botanical gardens will | | | | gardens, or Japanese landscape gardens contained |
| incorporate water features. | | | | within the larger botanical gardens. Many have |
| History of Botanical Gardens | | | | sections devoted to plants of particular geographic |
| One of the earliest botanical gardens for the study | | | | origins, such as a tropical plant section, or an aquatic |
| of plants was established in ancient Athens about | | | | plant section. Usually, plants are labeled according to |
| 340 B.C. by Aristotle and run by his pupil | | | | common name, scientific name, and region of origin. |
| Theophrastus. The oldest public one in the world are | | | | A botanical garden may contain a few hundred or as |
| those established at Pisa, Italy, in 1543; at Padua, | | | | many as 20,000 different species and varieties of |
| Italy, in 1545; at Paris in 1635; and at Berlin in 1679. In | | | | plants, depending upon the amount of land, money, |
| the 16th and 17th centuries, herbalists cultivated | | | | and professional help available. In size, botanical |
| medicinal herbs in private gardens. In 1673, the | | | | gardens range from about 2 1/2 acres (1 hectare) to |
| Society of Apothecaries planted the Chelsea Physic | | | | over 220 acres (90 hectares). There may be a |
| Garden in London to provide materials for research | | | | greenhouse, or more than one greenhouse, in a |
| and medicine. The American botanist John Bartram | | | | botanical garden. The greenhouse is used both for |
| near Philadelphia established the first experimental | | | | displaying plants and, where winters are cold, for |
| botanical garden in the U.S. in 1728. | | | | growing plants that would not otherwise survive the |
| Where Botanical Gardens Are Found | | | | seasonal change. In temperate climates, certain |
| Almost every major city has a botanical garden. The | | | | tropical plants must be grown in greenhouses-for |
| Royal Botanic Gardens, better known as Kew | | | | example, tropical orchids and ferns, pineapples, |
| Gardens, near London, founded in 1759, is the largest | | | | Spanish moss, cacti, African violets, and begonias. |
| in the world. Experiments and research done there | | | | Seedling plants that are to be set outdoors as soon |
| have led to the transplanting of commercially | | | | as the weather is warm enough for them may be |
| productive crops, such as rubber, from their native | | | | started in greenhouses or in hotbeds, which are beds |
| habitats to other parts of the world. | | | | of earth that are heated and covered with glass. |
| More than 300 botanical gardens are in the U.S. | | | | Many kinds of plants need certain climatic conditions |
| Among the most important are the Missouri Botanic | | | | at certain seasons, and a botanical garden may need |
| Gardens in Saint Louis (1859); the New York Botanical | | | | special storage areas for them. Some young plants, |
| Garden in Bronx Park (1895) and the Brooklyn Botanic | | | | for instance, may need a winter growing period but |
| Garden, both in New York City. The Arnold | | | | cannot survive freezing temperatures. They must be |
| Arboretum, established in 1872, is located at Harvard | | | | stored in cold frames, which are unheated, boxlike |
| University. | | | | structures covered with glass. Houses built of lathing |
| Benefits of Visiting a Botanical Garden | | | | may be needed to store some plants temporarily in |
| By visiting botanical gardens or arboretums, city | | | | semi shade and to grow certain plants that cannot |
| dwellers can discover a part of the natural world to | | | | stand the hot summer sun. |
| which they ordinarily have no access, escape from | | | | |