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The oldest university botanical garden in Croatia celebrating 125th anniversary

The oldest university botanical garden in Croatia, the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, in 2014 celebrated 125 years of its continuous work. The Garden was founded in 1889 by the professor of botany Dr Antun Heinz in the very heart of the Croatian capital. At that time Croatia was a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Throughout its existence the Garden operated within the University: at first, as a part of the Faculty of Philosophy, while since 1946 it belongs to the Faculty of Science. Botanical Garden has always had an important role in university teaching, scientific research and professional work in the field of botany, as well as in educating the general public about the importance of joint actions with the aim of protecting and preserving the wealth of the national flora. Because of its great educational, cultural, historical and touristic values and its overall significance for Zagreb and Croatia, since 1971 the Garden has been statutorily protected as a Monument of Park Architecture. It is also entered in the Register of Cultural Goods of the Ministry of Culture and protected as ‘original architectural achievement and complete urban, architectonic and park space’. The total area of the Garden is only 4.56 hectares. Its largest part was set in the English landscape style, with winding paths and freely growing groups of trees and shrubs. Only the flower parterre was constructed in the French style of strict order and symmetry. The Garden has diverse plant collections, which today number more than 5000 plant taxa. Cold resistant woody plants are grown in the arboretum, while sensitive species from warm climates overwinter in the greenhouses and are displayed in the open during summer. Decorative perennials are cultivated in the flower parterre, around the small lakes and in the flowerbeds of the flower rainbow. Particularly valuable parts of the collection are indigenous plants, belonging to the rich and diverse native flora, grown in phytogeographical groups – rock gardens. Marsh plants grow in the small lakes, the ponds and in the little domed greenhouse in the flower parterre. An important part of the collection is also situated in the systematic field, intended for university teaching in botany. During the entire 2014 season different events were organized in the Garden to mark its 125th anniversary. The 4th Week of Croatian Botanical Gardens and Arboreta opening ceremony was held in the Garden in May. The central ceremony marking the 125th anniversary of the Garden, attended by the representatives of the Croatian government, the City of Zagreb and the University of Zagreb has been organized in the Hall of the University of Zagreb. This old and unique Botanical Garden with a notable example of specific architectural heritage from 19th century has been slowly renovated over the past decades.

Zagreb Botanical Garden ; 125th anniversary ; plant collections ; native plants

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