BGCI > Garden

Germany - Deutschland - Bonn

Institution Code: BONN

International Agenda Registration: Y

BGCI Member: Y

History and Size:

The history of the Botanic Gardens, one of the oldest and most traditional gardens north of the Alps, goes back more than 400 years. The existence of a palace and a simple garden here is first recorded in a pen and ink drawing dated 1578. In the 17th Century, one of the most splendid gardens of the time was laid out, including orangeries (the forerunners of greenhouses). In the 18th Century, the barocan Clemensruh Palace (Poppelsdorfer Schloss) was built (c. 1740-47).

The garden as we know it dates from the foundation of the University in 1818, and its boundaries coincide closely with those of the Elector's park. Two beech trees from the old baroque garden still stand. The garden's founder and first director (1818-30) was Nees von Esenbeck.

The total area is 6 ha (15 acres) of which greenhouses occupy 0.25 ha (about 0.6 acres). In addition we have a separate area in the Melb valley which is not open to the public.

The Botanic Garden of Economic Botany (formerly Landwirtschaftlicher Botanischer Garten) fused together with the Palace garden in 2002 and formed a new organisation: University Botanic Gardens.