The main botanical garden of the country - the Russian Academy of Sciences named after N. V. Tsitsin is considered the largest in our country and Europe. He celebrated his 70th birthday last summer.
History
The historical past of the botanical garden is complex and rich. The date of creation recorded in the documents is 1945. This year, on the lands of the USSR Academy of Sciences, located on the territory of the Ostankino Park, it was decided to organize a new botanical garden.
400 years on the territory of the Ostankino estate there were impenetrable forests, in which scattered villages were located. The same places were intended for hunting for moose and bears by the royal rangers. Since 1558, this land, which was granted to Satin Alexei Ivan the Terrible, has changed many owners.
Since 1743, Ostankino passes into the hands of the Sheremetevs through the marriage of Pyotr Borisovich to Princess Varvara Cherkasskaya. After all, the future wife received a lot of land as a dowry, including this estate. After a while, their son Nikolai Sheremetyev will take care of the protection of this unique place. He introduces a ban on grazing, cutting down trees, hunting, picking berries, mushrooms, and will require the manager not to let him into the oak forest"walkers".
The end of the 19th century was marked by deforestation, unregulated grazing, uncontrolled destruction of wild animals and birds.
After the revolution, laws were adopted prohibiting the felling of native forest park plantations, which were strictly carried out even in difficult wartime, which saved the Ostankino estate.
Garden plants
The Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, especially its central part, is a reserved unique part of the forest zone. There is no free access to the oak forest, its oaks are on average about 160 years old, although there are unique specimens that are up to 300 years old. There are birches, maples, spruces, aspens, mountain ash, etc. The crowns of trees hide huge bushes: hazel, buckthorn, honeysuckle, euonymus. Under them is a grassy carpet of tender anemone, lungwort, fragrant lily of the valley, hairy sedge, chickweed, etc. They grow only in oak groves, which are recognized as the standard of the Central Russian broad-leaved forest.
All collections and expositions of the garden both naturally and aesthetically fit the oaks and birches growing here.
Today the Tsitsin Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences is 331 hectares of unique collection funds. This is more than 18,000 types and varieties of plants from different parts of our planet. In 1991, in a solemn ceremony, the main Russian botanical garden was named after the great academician and famous botanist, breeder and geneticist Nikolai Vasilievich Tsitsin, who led it for more than 35 years, from the first day of its foundation.
Territorial division
When creating the garden, the main task was to arrange indoor and outdoor expositions that could convey this or that natural area as fully as possible. For example, to demonstrate the flora of the USSR, departments were made:
- European part of the union;
- North Caucasus;
- Siberia region;
- Central Asia;
- Far East.
Special conditions close to reality were created at each of these sites. Something like: adding special sand, stones, ponds or streams were created to increase humidity, or special slides were built. All plants were planted in combinations found in real nature.
The Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences has become the site for establishing an introduction nursery to test new plant species.
Expositions that exist today have received other names. They feature plant exhibits from the Far East, Siberia, Central Asia, the Caucasus and Eastern Europe.
On a huge area today you can see tundra plants, coniferous-broad-leaved, light-coniferous, dark-coniferous forests, deserts, steppes and meadows.
Collecting the garden collection required the careful removal of plants from nature. For this, starting from 1946, expeditions were sent to various natural zones of the Soviet Union. Participants paid special attention to rare or endangered species.
The floristic diversity of the garden is constantly changing. It was especially diverse in 1990. Today, the garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences is a place of rest for citizens and guests.cities.
Guests of the city, visiting various sights of the capital, are sure to come to the botanical garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow, presenting the main garden of the country, offers to see various plant expositions.
Exposures of flora of Eastern Europe and vegetation of Central Asia
Almost 6 hectares is occupied by the exposition of the flora of Eastern Europe. It contains more than 300 types and species of plants: about 20 species of tree crops, approximately 30 species of shrubs and more than 200 species of herbaceous plantations, most of which came from the Carpathians.
The main botanical garden named after Tsitsin RAS has the oldest exposition of vegetation in Central Asia. It was founded shortly before the war on Sparrow Hills on the territory of the Moscow Botanical Garden of the USSR Academy of Sciences. After the war, it was carefully transferred to the flora section (located in Ostankino). But it became available to visitors only in 1953. Natural botanical and geographical conditions were recreated here. Areas of mountainous relief and deserts were created from tertiary clay. Coniferous and broad-leaved forests, alpine and subalpine meadows, steppes and rocky hills, and many endangered plant species are represented in this zone. You can view most of the exposition from the top of the artificial slide.
Exposures of plants from the Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East
An area of almost 2.5 hectares is occupied by the exposition of Caucasian plants. These are more than 300 species of tree plantations, including 23 rare and endangered species. They are located on an artificial mountainous terrain and a forest plain.
More than 200plant species collected in the exposition of Siberian vegetation. Of the exhibits presented here, more than 50 species are recognized as endangered or rare.
One of the most impressive collections is the exposition of the flora of the Far East. Almost 400 plant species of this zone are located on an area of 8.5 hectares.
Thematic areas of the GBS (Main Botanical Garden)
The Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences in 1950 completed the creation of an exposition of useful wild plants. All perennial grasses are planted in ridges, in a neighborhood taken from nature. There are several types of shrubs and trees in this exposition. Organizers, developing and planting ensembles of plants, made their classification based on their area of application.
The first part is essential oil, medicinal and insecticidal plants. They have an effect on various functions in the human or animal body and have toxic properties.
The second part is technical plants. These are fibrous, dyeing and tanning. Such plants have been and are still used in industry.
Third part - fodder and honey. Plants that are a food base for domestic animals (hay, silage, pasture).
The fourth part is food plant species. They are designed to support the life of the human body. These are vitamin, flavor, spicy, tea and infusion.
Arboretum
The Botanical Garden named after N. V. Tsitsin RAS preserves about 1,700 trees and shrubsplant species. They are collected on the territory of the arboretum (more than 75 hectares). The Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences is built like a landscape park, that is, the plants are systematized. This area is especially beautiful from early spring to autumn leaf fall. But even in winter it is no less interesting to walk among coniferous beauties covered with snow caps.
Heather and Japanese Garden
There is a special exposition in the arboretum - Heather Garden. Special types of erica and almost 20 varieties of heather were brought to it from Germany. It is located near the Laboratory building and is surrounded by conifers, barberries, spireas and rhododendrons.
No less bright and unique GBS exposition - "Japanese Garden". It was created with the help of the Japanese Embassy in the capital. Rare species of sakura, ornamental tree species and herbs of the region were brought from the islands. They are picturesquely arranged around artificial reservoirs with many bridges, pagodas and stone compositions.
A very mesmerizing collection of roses covers almost 2.5 hectares.
Instances of the greenhouse are considered priceless. They are imported from Brazil, Vietnam, Cuba, Madagascar and other countries of the equatorial zone. More than a hundred species of them are listed in the International Red Book.
A unique nursery in the Moscow Botanical Garden
In addition to the main scientific activities, GBS employees are engaged in the selection, breeding and sale of seedlings and seeds of known and new plant species. The nursery offers for sale hardwood planting materi altrees, vines, shrubs, perennial herbs, clematis and fruit plantations. Seedlings in the botanical garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences are very popular. Their prices are very low, and the quality of planting material is very high. Two outlets are engaged in the sale of seedlings. One (main) is located on the street. Botanicheskaya, 31, opposite the main entrance to GBS.
Special units of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Botanical Garden BIN RAS them. Komarova V. L., located in St. Petersburg, on Aptekarsky Island. It is a division of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Its history begins in the 18th century with an apothecary's garden. It was established by Peter I. Initially, of course, it was supposed to grow medicinal plants on it.
By the middle of the 19th, the Apothecary Garden was in great desolation, because there was no financial support at all. Alexander I gave his order to V. P. Kochubey, who presented a plan for the reorganization of the garden. Now scientific activity has become his main direction. Appropriations for the Pharmaceutical Garden have almost doubled. Scientific expeditions were even organized. The garden was actively developed until the beginning of the 20th century.
In connection with the celebration of the bicentenary of the Botanical Garden in 1913, he was named after Peter the Great. After the revolution, it became the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Soviet Republic. At the same time, the imperial residences and private greenhouses were transferred to him.
In 1930 the garden was reassigned to the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. The following year it was merged with the Botanical Museum. ATAs a result, the Botanical Institute was created. During the blockade, despite the efforts of workers, the garden was badly damaged. Therefore, extensive restoration work was carried out in the post-war period. Now it is a huge garden-arboretum. He is very loved by the residents of St. Petersburg and guests of the city.
Another unique subdivision of the Academy of Sciences is the Botanical Garden of the USC RAS. Located in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The garden has come a long and difficult path of development.
Today he has a large collection of plants, is proud of his outstanding scientific achievements in the field of research of wild species of flora of the republic and selection of ornamental plants.
Conclusion
Now you know where to go if you love nature, flowers and plants. The Botanical Garden of N. Tsitsin RAS is a truly interesting place to visit.
