The botanical garden for a long time remained for me something little connected with walks. There was something sinisterly academic about its title. As if you didn’t have time to enter, they would grab you and start asking about pistils, stamens, bromeliads and chlorophyll. But everything turned out to be much nicer in 2004 - just a big and very beautiful park.
Looking at these tall pines, oaks and lindens, you understand that in 60 years (officially the Botanical Garden was opened in 1945) they would not have grown to such heights. And, indeed, the park has existed here since much more ancient times. Here were the Ostankino oak forest and the Leonovsky forest. For the first time, these territories are mentioned in the chronicles of 1584 as lands belonging to the princes of Cherkasy, in whose hunting grounds the father of Peter I, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, loved to hunt.
In 1743, these lands passed into the possession of the Sheremetevs, who bought the "village of Ostankino" with the estate. Count Nikolai Sheremetev, being the recipient of new gardening ideas, turned the part of the grove closest to the estate (the so-called Surplus Garden, bought later) into English park, forming which the English gardener sought to achieve the natural character of the landscape. 5 artificial ponds were dug, fed by the water of the Kamenka River, one of the tributaries of the Yauza. From documentary sources it is known that the main tree species of the park were oak, linden and maple; among the shrubs hazel, honeysuckle and viburnum prevailed.
It was on these lands that the choice of the architect I.M. Petrov, who was instructed in 1940 to design the Botanical Garden. By 1945, the borders had changed somewhat, but all the same, the area of the planned garden was much larger than the existing one - it was supposed to include the lands of the All-Union Agricultural Exhibition (modern VVTs), the Ostankino estate, Ostankino Park and part of the Leonovsky Forest. TO modern look the project was already brought in 1950 under the leadership of academician S.I. Tsitsin, the future director of the GBS (Main Botanical Garden). I must say that in the "cut down" form, the territory of the garden is more than 300 hectares. All the main GBS expositions were built in the period 1950-1970.
The largest of them is the arboretum. It occupies almost 75 hectares. Among the trees and shrubs growing here are many immigrants from different regions of our country, as well as from other countries and continents - Western Europe, Japan, China, North America. Plants in the arboretum are adjacent according to the principle of systematic relationship.
In one clearing, you can see nearby species originating from different parts globe but belong to the same genus. But scientific principle does not harm aesthetics; the arboretum is a real landscape park, very beautiful. Small ponds surrounded by willows and willows give it a special charm; they are extremely attractive in the summer heat. In autumn, oak forests are unbearably beautiful, where black graphic oak trunks cut through the gold of foliage. In winter, the snow-covered park is decorated with coniferous trees - spruces, firs, pines, yews, junipers, arborvitae...
Here grow not only natural forms, but also varieties with crowns of strange shapes - spherical, pyramidal, creeping, and unusual coloring of needles - dark green, bluish, golden, white and variegated. And in early spring, cherries, plums, bird cherry, apricot, almonds bloom in the still transparent park ...
And in the eastern part of the Garden, bordering the All-Russian Exhibition Center, six botanical and geographical expositions have been created: "European part of Russia", "Caucasus", "Central Asia", "Siberia", " Far East", as well as the exposition "Useful plants of natural flora". Here you can find plants of the tundra, various types of forests, meadows, steppes, deserts - in total over 2,000 species!
Among these beauties, there is not even a scientific element - there are no explanations anywhere, there are no plates with the names of species on the trees. You have to guess - or carry a determinant with you.
Of course, not only trees and shrubs grow in the Botanical Garden, but also flowers. Only access to them is limited. The bulk of the collection is located in closed territories, the Orangery must be booked in advance, and the Rosary is closed for reconstruction.
Only the "Garden of Continuous Bloom" and "Shadow Garden" expositions are available to the average visitor. Here are collected the most stable in urban conditions and promising for cultivation in central Russia, species and varieties. In general, cruel envy begins to sharpen the ordinary summer resident here - after all, all this, in theory, can be reproduced in any, the most modest, area near Moscow! True, landscape designers have worked here!
Well, the most curious GBS attraction is the relatively recently (in 1987) open Japanese Garden, which is open from May to October. This is a vivid example of the garden art of the East with its small scale and great richness. In a small area there is a) a cascade of waterfalls, b) a stream, c) two ponds with islands, d) 100 species of plants, including the notorious sakura, d) three wooden pavilions, e) an 18th century stone pagoda, f) three stone lanterns, and ) wooden bridges.
But that's the trick - it seems that in such a small area, lanterns, pagodas and sakuras should be pushed by their shoulders. But no! And it's really great here. True, there is a significant minus - they are not allowed here with wheeled vehicles, including strollers. So small children have to either be left at the entrance or carried in their arms.
On major holidays, you can stand in line for tickets. But here is the only place in the whole garden where you can buy some food - chips and ice cream. The "Japanese Garden" is a separate AO, they not only sell their tickets and ice cream, but also a couple of times a year they arrange a Japanese tea ceremony in one of the pavilions of the garden - however, very expensive.
In front of the entrance to the Japanese Garden there is a large area with benches, in the garden this is a luxury. There are many benches only on the central alley. On the wilder and narrower ones, it shines to sit only on some stumps. But most of the paths are passable - for strollers, roller skates, and scooters. True, there are a lot of people, you need to ride briskly. But, in any case, this is the main entertainment for children - if you have not taken a guide with you and are not concerned about collecting a herbarium.
To entertain children with food, you need to take care of this in advance - here, as already mentioned, you can’t buy almost anything. But this is not the last reason why the park does not become a dumping ground for packaging materials. Although, of course, cleanliness is especially monitored here.
Of course that own forces and the GBS funds are not enough for this, and help comes from volunteers. For example, the notorious school "New Acropolis" once a month organizes actions to help the GBS - both in greenhouses and in open areas, students perform the most necessary work. This community is already quite old - the first action took place more than seven years ago.
It is quite convenient to get to the Botanical Garden both by car (although the parking lots in front of the entrances on Botanicheskaya Street are small) and by metro. Either Vladykino is suitable, and then you get into the garden through the main entrance for a nominal fee, or the Botanical Garden (exit from the last carriage).
Go a little further from it, with passages through Peak and Agricultural streets, but the entrance is free - in my opinion, through some kind of hole in the fence. And you find yourself right next to the Japanese Garden. And after viewing the southeastern part of the Botanical Garden, if you wish, you can continue your walk to the All-Russian Exhibition Center.
The main purpose of the Familypass service is to help children and their parents choose educational activities and useful leisure activities. That is why we have collected all the best children's sections, circles and centers in Moscow on one site.This page lists centers for children located near Botanichesky Sad metro station. Now you do not need to spend a lot of time looking for a suitable children's club. All institutions are tied to metro lines and are within walking distance.
To enroll a child in one of the circles near the Botanichesky Sad metro station, you need to follow a few simple steps:
- register and choose a suitable center;
- pay for the lesson on the date and time specified in the schedule;
- receive a 5-digit SMS code;
- Before attending the class, provide the code to the administrator.
If you have any questions, just give us a call and our experts will help you.
