Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden in Kaunas

Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden (VMU BG) in Kaunas was founded in 1923 as the centre of botanical sciences that belonged to Lithuanian (later Vytautas Magnus) University. Spacious green area with the old park, picturesque ponds and several buildings of the former estate of Juozapas Godlevskis (Aukstosios Fredos estate) was provided for establishing BG at that time. Professor Constantin von Regel from Tartu University was invited to direct BG. The detailed project for the BG landscape was made in 1924 by architect Karol Rauth from Hanover. With the help of other Botanical gardens, especially Berlin’s Dahlem, Konigsberg and St. Petersburg’s Kaunas Botanical Garden built up very rapidly. The construction of the Greenhouse was finished in 1938.

Presently, VMU BG occupies the area of 62.5 ha close to the city centre. BG is a multifunctional botanical garden that consists of three departments: Science, Expositions and Collections, and Service and Education. The Science department is comprised of three sectors (Medicinal and Spice Plants, Dendrology and Phytopathology, and Pomology). Department of Expositions and Collections includes sectors of Plant systematics, Floriculture and Greenhouse.

Plant Collections (in 2020): total accession number: 14783; special collections: Rosa – 1577, Dahlia – 1481, Tulipa – 457, Hemerocallis – 452, Paeonia – 306, Rhododendron – 251, Hosta – 241, Lilium – 228, Astilbe – 194, Aster – 134 collection numbers.

The unique feature of this garden is peaceful and green environment created by an advantageous combination of cultural and natural heritage. Botanical expositions and collections, the Greenhouse, big landscape park with an interesting pond system – this is not only place for plant conservation and research but also area for all modern forms of interactive education, cultural tourism and community use.

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