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I like how the old botanic garden in Hamburg, established in 1821, is a living space in the city. It is situated centrally, on easy walking distance from the main railway station. When walking around in the garden, and in the adjoining park, Planten un Blomen, I got the impression that this is a part of the city that is integrated in people’s everyday lives. A space for lunchtime runs, walking the dog, playing with the kids, having a stroll in deep conversation with a friend, reading on a sun-drenched bench by one of the many ponds. In addition to the more conventional botanic garden activity of exploring the wide variety of plants that grow both in the greenhouses and in the surrounding park. Admission to the greenhouses is also free (or was, at least, when I visited in 2018), which probably contributed to how well-visited they felt – children standing on the path, marveling at the magnificent ferns. A garden for the city-dweller and the whole family.
Photo: Alter Botanischer Garten Hamburg, Germany, October 2018. Posted on Instagram April 28, 2021.
Katja Malmborg 