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Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem

The Italian Garden and Main Greenhouse at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

With September providing a couple of unexpectedly sunny and warm days it seems appropriate to look back on my trip to the Botanischer Garten (Botanical Garden) in Berlin or Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem to use its full title.

It seems like a lifetime ago but actually it has only been a month.

The Botanischer Garten was pointed out to me from the train after my trip to Zur Bratpfanne for my favourite Currywurst in Berlin so far.  A visit was immediately added to my to-do list.

I entered the Botanischer Garten through the entrance on Unter den Eichen having caught the S-Bahn to Botanischer Garten station.

The history of the botanical garden dates back to reign of Friedrich Wilhelm in 1679, though it has only been in its present location since 1910.

A house at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Having admired a rather grand building in the grounds and the beautiful gardens in front of it, I turned to look out on a large Lily pond.

A Lily Pond at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Next I chose to walk through the Arboretum and Plant Geography sections of the gardens.  Whilst I was impressed by the well-maintained gardens and enjoyed looking at the plants, flowers and statues I have to admit to being a little underwhelmed at this point.

Meadow flowers at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

A statue at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Crocosmia at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

After this I went to the Botanical Museum contained within the grounds.  As the descriptions of the exhibits and any audio or video were in German and the sun was shining outside I chose not to spend much time here.  I did, however, enjoy the dioramas of various landscapes and there were some impressive items.

A diorama on display at the Botanical Museum (Botanisches Museum) in Berlin

Fungi on display at the Botanical Museum (Botanisches Museum) in Berlin

A sculpture of the head of a Botanist on display at the Botanical Museum (Botanisches Museum) in Berlin

It was when I reached the Greenhouse Complex (Die Gewächshäuser) that the Botanischer Garten came into its own and I became really enthusiastic about my visit.

A cluster of 16 (mainly interconnected) greenhouses is open to the public and houses an impressive collection of tropical plants and flowers.

The main greenhouse – Das Große Tropenhaus – is one of the largest in the world and measures 60m x 30m and stands 23m tall.

Many of the plants and flowers here are grouped by geographical region or species.  One of my highlights, and recommended by friends before my visit, was the Cacti collection.

Cacti in the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Cacti in the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Cacti in the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

It was as well that I had been told about the Cacti collection as I found the greenhouses a little difficult to navigate and searching for them made me persevere and discover many more houses.

A mini waterfall in the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Koi Carp in the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

A Rhododendron in the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Coming out of the main greenhouse I walked through Café Anthurium and took the opportunity for some refreshment in the shape of a cold Berliner Kindl, which I took out onto the terrace overlooking the Italian Garden.

Cafe Anthurium, the main greenhouse and a pond at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

A statue at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Completing my circuit of the park, and approaching the house I saw on entering, I walked past a beautiful collection of Dahlias.

Dahlias at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Dahlias at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Dahlias at the Botanical Garden (Botanischer Garten) in Berlin

Having only visited once on a bright, sunny summer’s day, I’m looking forward to seeing the effects of the changing seasons on the gardens.  If I stay in Berlin more permanently I’m sure I will visit the Botanischer Garten often and would probably buy a Multiple Ticket (which gives 4 visits for the price of 3 and is valid for 1 year) or possibly even an Annual Ticket.

I would also like to see one of the classical music performances that I’m told take place at 6pm on Friday evenings during the summer.

With about 22,000 different species of plants covering an area of 126 acres the Botanischer Garten is the kind of place that could take days to examine closely but is a great place to spend a few hours or even a day.

I spent about 4 hours there and would have stayed longer if I hadn’t been meeting friends for dinner at The Bird that evening.

If you’re visiting Berlin and looking to do something out of the centre I would certainly recommend a visit to the Botanischer Garten in the summer (I will hopefully be able to endorse it year-round once I’ve visited more myself) and do yourself a favour and get Currywurst from Zur Bratpfanne on your way home.

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5 Responses to Botanischer Garten und Botanisches Museum Berlin-Dahlem

  1. fionafiona 17 September, 2012 at 19:43 #

    Sometimes I feel like I am following you. Do you know I have just done a post on the Botanic Gardens – we were there yesterday. Utterly wasted on us: we didn’t have a clue what we were looking at mostly, cactus, cactus, cactus, banana tree, cactus. All very nice though, and our hearts raced wondering just how many times the kids could go over the stepping stones before we had to fish one or both of them out. Highly enjoyable, I just wished I knew more about plants!

    • andBerlin 17 September, 2012 at 20:02 #

      I didn’t realise you had posted but just been over to check it out and you have a great set of photos. I have to admit that my brother, an avid gardener, helped me out with the names of a number of the plants and flowers I featured. I didn’t expect to be so taken by it but it was one of those places that just ‘spoke to me’ somehow.

  2. Bron 18 September, 2012 at 21:50 #

    I particularly like the three photos in the middle of this post, of the meadow flowers, statue and crocosmia.

    • andBerlin 19 September, 2012 at 09:13 #

      Thanks Bron. I’ve never really stopped to take pictures of flowers before so it was great fun experimenting.

  3. ebe 1 August, 2013 at 15:27 #

    Really nicely done on the pics & post. I dragged my poor parents here on a pitifully rainy day and we got thoroughly soaked before making it indoors…and yet, somehow still lovely.

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