Botanical Garden of the Southern Federal University

Rostov Botanical Garden

The Botanical Garden of the Southern Federal University in Rostov-on-Don has an area of 160.5 hectares and is home to around 6500 plant species.

The main subject areas of the Botanical Garden include the investigation, mobilization and sensible use of the plants of the steppe zone, as well as the preservation of the world and steppe flora.

The scientific tasks are:

the assessment of the state of nature in the Rostov region

the exploration of the protection problems of the steppe diversity

The garden is now regarded as a large academic cultural information center.

History of the foundation

The idea of establishing a garden was born in 1915, when Warsaw University was evacuated to Rostov-on-Don during the First World War . The professors of the Rostov University W. Hmelewski and W. Werschakowski are considered the founders of the botanical garden .

In April 1927, the city authorities allocated 74 hectares to the university for the Botanical Garden of the North Caucasian University. The choice of the site was also due to the fact that the flower garden of the Ramm brothers, who originally came from the Netherlands, was located there before the October Revolution .

Since 1928 the garden has been operating as an independent scientific research laboratory of the South Federal University (formerly North Caucasian University).

The tasks of the Botanical Garden at that time included popularization of biological sciences, cultural education of the population, introduction of new valuable plants into green areas and steppe reforestation of the forests in the Rostov region.

W. Werschkowski was appointed the first director of the Botanical Garden. In 1927 he developed the design of the botanical garden together with local experts.

In the first stage, a forest park of 30 ha and a dendrarium of 4.2 ha were created. In a very short time a collection of over 400 species new to the area was created.

At present, 54 of the plant species planted at that time, which are 65 to 75 years old today, are still in good condition. These include the species that are seldom found in the Rostov area, such as Persian oak, oriental white oak, hornbeam , spider flower , hazelnuts, walnut tree, cork tree and small-leaved Chinese elm. The oldest specimen in the collection, a summer oak , is 120 years old.

The analysis and inventory of the collections were characteristic of the second stage. Collections of woody plants such as nut, fruit and useful plants as well as a lilac garden and a rosarium were planted.

In the third stage, a new plot of 18 hectares was attached to the Botanical Garden, where a systematically structured dendrarium was created. This includes planting a softwood collection . This collection contained 130 types and forms of conifers, 80 of which were recommended for cultivation in the Rostov region. At the same time, the collection of perennials was formed, primarily flowering plants - gladioli, lilies and tulips.

During the time of the occupation by the Wehrmacht from 1941 to 1943, the majority of the collections and plantings were lost or destroyed.

In the post-war period, all buildings were reconstructed and the collection was rebuilt. In the 1960s, new collections of medicinal and decorative garden plants were created, including plants containing essential oil and fodder plants as well as rare and endangered species of steppe flora. The collection of tropical and subtropical plants on the weather-protected ground was created in 1953.

Achievements

In 2017 the Botanical Garden of the City of Rostov-on-Don celebrated its 90th anniversary. In science, the garden is recognized as the great object of study, resources, information and culture. The Botanical Garden in Rostov-on-Don is a unique "nature museum" with more than 5000 species of trees, shrubs and grass plants. The collection of species of tropical and subtropical flora from Africa, Australia, South and North America and Southeast Asia shown in the orangery includes 1,600 forms and species.

recognition

The scientific activity of the Botanical Garden is recognized not only in Russia, but also abroad. For example, the shapes of walnuts acclimatized in this southern climatic zone have received bronze medals at the All Union Exhibition of Achievements in Business . Several times the results of the work of Rostov flower growers have been awarded certificates, diplomas and medals at Russian and international exhibitions. For the 80th anniversary in 2007, the Botanical Garden was the only one in Russia to be included in the international reference book “Botanical Gardens. A living history ”.

Plants in the garden

Orangery

Some facts about the plant species in the Botanical Garden:

There are around 100 species of rare and endangered plants on the grounds of the garden; including 41 species on the Russian Red List .
In the orangeries there are collections of palm species and heat-loving tropical and subtropical plants from North and Central America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
The variety of succulents and aquatic plants of the tropics is astonishing.
There are more than 6500 species of flowering plants, shrubs and trees of Russia in the whole area of the garden.

In the herbarium of the Botanical Garden, one of the largest in Europe, were more collected than 22,000 plant specimens. Some of them have survived since 1881. Annually the Botanical Garden renews and expands the collection of the seeds of hybrid forms and the unique plant species.

Botanical garden today

St. Seraphim of Sarov mineral spring

The opening hours of the Rostov-on-Don Botanical Garden allow Rostov residents and guests of the city to visit the park every day. The gardeners offer tours through the garden area and tell stories from the life of the garden and interesting facts about the collected plants.

The Temernik river and a small stream flow through the area. In the area of the garden there is a rare underground mineral spring with medicinal drinking water. The spring is named after the monk Seraphim von Sarov .

On the territory of Rostov-on-Don, the Botanical Garden is a green oasis.

Web links

Commons : Botanical Garden of the Southern Federal University - Collection of images, videos and audio files