One of the decorations of any city is the botanical garden. Kharkov, as the first capital of Ukraine, holds the championship in this regard. Botanical Garden at V.N. Karazin is an object of a nature reserve fund of national importance.
Oldest part of the garden
There are two of them in the city, both belong to Kharkov University. The first, the oldest, was founded in 1804 simultaneously with the university. It is located on a historic site on Klochkovskaya street, 52.
For the construction of the first botanical garden in Ukraine, the works of Count Pototsky allocated about 28 acres of land (about 30 hectares) along the Sumy highway, then this place was outside the city limits. Then the construction of greenhouses was laid. Now this complex has 11 buildings with a total area of 1075 square meters. No matter how times develop and change, there will be a botanical garden in this part of the city. Kharkov is justly proud of this attraction. Since 1960, the historical part of the botanical garden has been reserved.
Garden of the new period
Another branch of the botanical garden was annexed in the late fifties of the last century. Then the Soviet government allocated territory on the city outskirts with a total area of more than 75 hectares. Now it is a city line in which the garden is located on Otakar Yarosh Street, 24.
On this square, plants are collected in the exposition according to the zones of growth in nature: for example, walking in the park, you can get acquainted with the flora of Central Asia, Europe, visit the north-east of Ukraine, the Mediterranean, China and Japan. In the city of Kharkov, the Botanical Garden district is one of the favorite places for residents, which they always strive to show to guests. The garden collection contains more than 1000 woody and shrubby plants. There are more than seven thousand plants in the collection of the university garden.
Greenhouse
Greenhouses are equipped with climatic zones, as well as the entire botanical garden. Kharkov is rightfully considered one of the scientific centers of Ukraine, which is greatly facilitated by the work of garden employees. Each greenhouse contains plants that require special care. For our climate, the most difficult is maintaining tropical conditions: year-round high humidity and high temperature are required.
The oldest garden tree is the date palm. The plant is more than 100 years old, the documents for its acquisition date back to 1939. It blooms every year. Garden officials say harvesting is hindered by the lack of a male tree. A hundred-year-old palm lacks pollination, so the dates ripen small and in small quantities. The height of the palm tree is already more than 20 meters, and when the situation became critical, the greenhouse was reconstructed by raising the glass ceiling for comfortable growth. But such a solution will not be enough for a long time, the soil landing allows it to grow according to the program laid down by nature. The collection of palm trees is solid: thirty-eight species and varieties of plants.
The beauty of the greenhouses is given by tropical vines, ampelous plants and a large collection of cacti. Desert flora occupy most of the exposure, the variety of cacti has more than 800 species. The scattered fern plants represent a special flavor, some of the employees do not touch, and it is a green thicket.
The collection of plants of tropical and subtropical climate in the garden has more than two and a half thousand species of world flora: cacti, succulents, magnificent orchids and much more.
Weekdays of the garden
Development, study and growth are the basic rules that support the botanical garden. Kharkov does a lot to preserve natural funds. Five research departments study and preserve rare plants, in the zone of special attention the endangered flora of Ukraine.
The dendrological department has collected more than 1000 species of ornamental plants, among them relict ones stand out: ginkgo, famous in Kharkov for the fact that three different species grow from one root. Yew berry is remarkable: its peculiarity is that everything is poisonous in this plant: roots, needles, bark, and only berries are edible. The yew tree also has bright, beautiful and valuable wood, and when there are berries on it, it is an unusually elegant tree.
Also, many flower plants are planted annually in the botanical garden. Moreover, from their own collections. The department staff collected more than 750 species and varieties of bulb plants, and these are tulips, rare species of daffodils, early crocuses, majestic lilies. No less impressive is the collection of peonies - 170 species, irises - more than 180 varieties.
Herbarium funds are constantly replenished, which has already 36 thousand sheets. By the way, before the Great Patriotic War, the herbarium fund consisted of 300 thousand sheets, but was completely exported to Germany. After the war, only part of the fund was returned.
