My sister and I have a tradition of going on festive trips around Christmas time and one of our last trips was a long weekend in Copenhagen where we spent time exploring the numerous Christmas markets as well as other sights around the city. I love to stay organised and I use a vacation planner template to plan our activities each day to make sure we get the most out of our adventures!
One of the many attractions which we visited was the Copenhagen Botanical Gardens which was only a short walk from where we were staying. The Gardens are found in the centre of Copenhagen and covers 10 hectares with an extensive complex of historical glasshouses dating from 1874.
As a part of the Natural History Museum of Denmark which is a part of the University of Copenhagen Faculty of Science, the Gardens serves for research, educational and recreational purposes.
The Copenhagen Botanical Gardens showcase an extraordinary 13,000 species of fauna, they are organised in categories such as Danish plants (600 species), perennial plants (1,100 species), annual plants (1,100 species), rock gardens with plants from mountainous areas in Central and Southern Europe and Conifer Hill which is planted with coniferous trees.
One of the most striking features of the Gardens is the 27 glasshouses. The most impressive is the old Palm House built in 1874, it is 16m in height and features a cast-iron spiral staircase leading to a walkway around the top.
It is said that the Gardens owes this collection of glasshouses to Carlsberg founder J. C. Jacobsen who also funded it having been inspired by the Crystal Palace that was erected for the Great Exhibition in London in 1851.
The Copenhagen Botanical Garden is free to enter. As well as the glasshouses you will find conservatories, a museum and herbarium, a library and a shop with plants, seeds and a selection of garden equipment available. You will also find opportunities to take refreshments.
I really enjoyed my visit to the Copenhagen Botanical Gardens. I am a fan of all things botanical and I was taken in by the impressive collection of plants with their variety of colours, shapes and sizes. I definitely recommend a visit.
