The first park to visit in Saint Petersburg is one of the biggest in the city. Also, it is one of the oldest Botanical gardens in the country. The full name of this green island is the Botanical Garden of the V.L. Komarov Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, or St. Petersburg’s Botanical Garden in short.
It was established by Peter the Great, to practice Saint Hubert Medals vegetation of plants from Russia and other parts of the world. That time, in 1714, it was ranked with other European botanical gardens in importance and collection size. In the beginning the medical herbs were grown only, but later exotic seeds and plants were collected and cultivated there. A very big greenhouse was built in the Botanical garden. Still the park is used for botanical research – workers take part in expeditions to find out new sorts of seeds, plants, trees, shrubs.
Inside the Garden you may find not only plants and greenhouses, but walking paths, libraries, nurseries, relaxation areas – everything for you to spend time comfortably, with pleasure and standing to gain new knowledge.
The landscape of the Botanical garden Saints Hubert is quite various. It is obvious that plants from different zones and climates are grown there. Greens from Russia are outside, uncovered, while tropical and subtropical plants are located in numerous greenhouses. The scenery is also different – some Caucasus and Mediterranean plants are in the hills, Asian are at plains.
Surprisingly, but a lot of Asian – Chinese and Japanese plants are in the Garden – ferns, bamboos, orchids, palms and a lot of others. Some items are really unique – just get an idea that there is a huge water-lily of 2 meters size that can support 60 kilograms on its leaves.
Once a year you can have a great opportunity to visit the Garden at night – in May the great Queen of the Night flowers is exposed. .
A lot of rare pieces of the collection have died outduring the Second world war, others were damaged. Suffering a great hunger during the Siege, no citizen of Leningrad touched any of the Botanic Garden’s seeds or plant.
Opening hours: daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Professora Popova 2, St Petersburg, +7 812 234 17 64
Letniy Sad (Summer Garden)
Right after establishing Saints Hubert Peter the Great laid the foundation stone of the Summer Garden in 1704. So, it is the oldest park in Saint Petersburg, the most fascinating and charming place of Saint Petersburg, so loved by its native citizens.
The park is big – 12 hectare, with a very strict geometric plan of alleys, one side of the park faces the embankment of the Neva river – all that makes it look like very formal and imperial. It is said, that Peter the Great created a plan of the park by himself, with a help of a Dutch garderner and physician Nicolas Bidloo. Other Dutch masters took care of the park until 1726.