By Irina Bogomazova
Previously, the garden was closed to visitors during the winter season but will now open its gates to all, allowing us to wander its avenues whatever the weather. If it snows, we can even don our skis. “We’re planning a ‘green ski track’ to allow guests to enjoy the sport while admiring our natural winter garden,” explains Scientific Secretary Mikhail Motyl.
The garden’s greenhouse is also to stay open, allowing visitors to view orchids, palms, camellias and other warmth loving plants. Special facilities have been installed to ensure the temperature and micro-climate remain constant.
The National Academy of Sciences’ Botanical Garden keeps a gene-pool of plants, being the leading scientific centre of the country for the introduction and acclimatisation of plants, as well as the environmental protection of plants and the study of their physiology and biochemistry. It has received wide recognition and is among the largest botanical gardens in Europe — covering 153 hectares and boasting a large number of collections (over 9,000) from different climatic zones of the planet.
