Are you visiting Leiden or a city nearby, and are you looking for a unique activity during your stay? The botanical gardens of Hortus botanicus Leiden are the perfect place! This garden conservatory has a rich collection of unique and rare plants, flowers and trees. Immerse yourself in the tropical botanical garden and be amazed.
The botanical gardens in Leiden: hidden jewel in the Netherlands
Discover the botanical garden
What are botanical gardens?
First and foremost: what can you expect when visiting the Hortus botanicus Leiden? A botanical garden (also known as a garden conservatory) is a garden that has a scientific purpose. Therefore, a (local) university is usually closely associated with a certain botanical garden. The plants, flowers and trees that are grown in this garden can be used within scientific research but can also be displayed and conserved for educational purposes.
A short history of the Hortus botanicus Leiden
The Hortus botanicus Leiden was founded in 1590, making it the oldest botanical garden in western Europe. Its establishment was closely tied to the founding of the University of Leiden in 1575. At that time, the university's board sought to create a "hortus medicus," or medical herb garden, to support the education of medical students by providing access to plants used in pharmacology. This practical need drove the creation of the Hortus. The founding of both the university and the garden occurred during the Renaissance, a period of intellectual and scientific renewal in Europe. The Renaissance had fostered advancements in many fields, including medicine and botany, which aligned with the university's academic goals. Over time, the Hortus expanded its collection and influence, growing into the four-acre garden it is today.
Japanese influences in Hortus botanicus Leiden
The Hortus botanicus Leiden has a great diversity of plants for you to study and admire. The gardens have a big focus on flora from Southeast Asia and one of the gardens is designed as a Japanese botanical garden. The reason for these Asian influences is Philipp Franz von Siebold. He was one of the few Europeans that gained access to Japan in the beginning of the 19th century. He sent a lot of different Japanese plants and objects to Leiden while he stayed on Deshima, a small Japanese island.
Crown jewels of the Hortus botanicus
Some flora within our garden conservatory deserve some extra praise. Because they are extremely rare, or just really beautiful. That is why we call them our crown jewels.
- Jade flower: this climbing plant lives in our greenhouses. It is a tropical plant that usually grows in the forests of the Philippines. The plant is very rare, even in the Philippines itself. The striking blue flowers appear in March.
- Giant water lily: the Victoria amazonica is the largest water lily in the world. It is native to the Amazon region in South-America. The first seeds in the Hortus botanicus were sown in 1872 in a greenhouse that was especially built for the water plant. The leaves can grow up to 2 meters wide! The plant blooms from spring until autumn.
- Ginkgo biloba: the Ginkgo biloba is a Japanese tree that was planted in the Hortus botanicus in 1785. This makes it one of the oldest in the Netherlands. Their seeds are considered a delicacy with healing powers in China, Japan and Korea.
These are just a few examples of the many beautiful and rare flora that live in the Hortus botanicus Leiden. Discover them all during a visit!
Visit the Hortus botanicus Leiden
Are you ready to get lost in our enchanting botanical gardens and discover endless exotic plants? Come visit the oldest hortus botanicus in the Netherlands. During the spring and the summer (March 21st until September 20th) you can visit us daily from 9:00h - 18:00h. During the autumn and the winter (September 21st until March 20th) we open daily from 10:00h - 17:00h.