botanical garden of verona

The Botanical Garden of Verona is a university scientific garden founded in 1959 by the University of Verona for the study, conservation and teaching of plant biodiversity. Located along Lungadige Porta Vittoria, the garden extends over about 15,000 square metres overlooking the Adige river and houses more than 2,000 plant species from all over the world, organised into thematic collections that illustrate ecosystems, habitats and traditional uses of plants. The visitor route crosses different sections: the medicinal plant garden with officinal herbs used by traditional European medicine, the section of aromatic and dye plants, the collection of succulents and cacti that recreates desert environments, the wood with native trees, and the climate-controlled tropical greenhouse that houses orchids, tree ferns, carnivorous plants and exotic species sensitive to cold.

Each plant is labelled with its scientific name, botanical family and geographical origin. The garden plays an important educational role hosting school groups, university students and researchers daily who study botany, ecology and environmental conservation here. Practical workshops, themed guided tours, scientific lectures and temporary exhibitions dedicated to flora are organised.

The garden takes part in international conservation projects of threatened plant species, contributing to the safeguarding of global biodiversity through ex-situ cultivation and seed banks.

The 1959 university foundation and the scientific development of the botanical garden

The Botanical Garden of Verona was founded in 1959 by the University of Verona as a scientific facility dedicated to botanical research, conservation of plant species and university teaching of natural sciences. Unlike historic botanical gardens born in the Renaissance (Padua 1545, Pisa 1544), the Veronese garden is relatively young but has rapidly developed important scientific collections and advanced educational programmes. Over the decades the garden has been expanded and enriched with new thematic sections: climate-controlled greenhouses were built to house tropical and subtropical species, specific habitats were created for alpine, aquatic and xerophytic plants, and specialist collections of medicinal, aromatic and succulent plants were developed.

The garden collaborates with universities and international botanical institutions for seed exchanges, joint research and conservation projects of plant biodiversity threatened by climate change and the destruction of natural habitats.

The garden is organised into thematic collections that illustrate plant diversity and evolutionary adaptations to different environmental conditions. The medicinal plant garden displays over 200 species of officinal herbs used by traditional European medicine: sage, rosemary, lavender, chamomile, mint, foxglove and many others, with panels explaining therapeutic properties, active ingredients and historical methods of use. The tropical greenhouse recreates the warm and humid environment of equatorial rainforests, hosting epiphytic orchids, tree ferns, carnivorous plants such as Nepenthes and Dionaea, banana plants, palms, giant bamboos and climbing lianas.

The constant temperature of 25-30°C and high humidity allow the survival of species that could not grow outdoors in the temperate climate of Verona. The succulent plants section displays hundreds of cacti, agaves, aloes and euphorbias from American and African deserts, illustrating xerophytic adaptations to extreme drought.

The Botanical Garden organises a rich programme of educational activities aimed at schools of all levels: practical workshops on plant recognition, microscope observation of plant tissues, study of ecosystems, germination and plant propagation. University students of biology, pharmacy and natural sciences carry out practical exercises, dissertations and scientific research here on plant physiology, systematics and ecology. For the general public there are themed guided tours led by expert botanists who delve into topics such as medicinal plants, biodiversity, evolutionary adaptations, climate change and environmental conservation.

During spring and summer the garden hosts outreach events: "Botany Week" with lectures and demonstrations, "Garden Night" with guided night tours among the scents and sounds of nature, workshops for children on carnivorous and aromatic plants, and naturalistic photographic exhibitions. The garden is also a venue for civil weddings and private events surrounded by greenery.