Hortus Botanicus; An oasis in the middle of the busy Amsterdam

In the middle of the busy city center of Amsterdam you will find the almost 400 year (!) old botanical garden; Hortus Botanicus. The purpose of the garden was initially to grow medicinal plants for pharmacists and doctors. Today you can admire more than 4000 different plant species from all over the world and as a plant lover you will definitely get super excited here. In this blog you will get to know the most beautiful exotic plants and we will show you the most instagrammable places.
Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam

Hortus Botanicus; An oasis in the middle of the busy Amsterdam

In the middle of the busy city center of Amsterdam you will find the almost 400 year (!) old botanical garden; Hortus Botanicus. The purpose of the garden was initially to grow medicinal plants for pharmacists and doctors. Today you can admire more than 4000 different plant species from all over the world and as a plant lover you will definitely get super excited here. In this blog you will get to know the most beautiful exotic plants and we will show you the most instagrammable places.
In the middle of the busy city center of Amsterdam you will find the almost 400 year (!) old botanical garden; Hortus Botanicus. The purpose of the garden was initially to grow medicinal plants for pharmacists and doctors. Today you can admire more than 4000 different plant species from all over the world and as a plant lover you will definitely get super excited here. In this blog you will get to know the most beautiful exotic plants and we will show you the most instagrammable places.

The special plant collection

In the multiple gardens and greenhouses of Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam you can discover the special plant collection. At every tree, plant or flower there is a card full of information like the name and where it normally grows. Our favorite ones are:

🌿 The Guano Coccothrinax sp. (left photo): This palm tree may not immediately stand out due to its camouflage stripes. But look at the tree trunk, it looks like tiger print, wow! The palm is native to Central America, the Caribbean.

🌿 The Tail-Grape (right photo): This special plant climbs trees. In Southeast Asia, this species is cultivated for its yellow, edible fruits.

🌿 The Giant water lily Victoria: This water lily grows in a heated pond of no less than 28 degrees. The lily has huge leaves that can grow up to more than a meter. The special thing about this water lily is that it gets a flower a few times a year. This flower blooms for two nights. The flower turns white the first night and pink the second night, then the flower disappears. It is a very special moment and you must be lucky to spot a flower!

🌿 Banana trees: Ohhh this is definitely our number one favorite tree. The immense banana trees rise above everything. We definitely want to have one later, they really give you the best tropical vibes.

Monumental greenhouses

In Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam are a number of monumental greenhouses; the Three Climates Greenhouse, the Palm Greenhouse and the Butterfly Greenhouse. They already look impressive from the outside and invite you to discover the green worlds.

The Three Climates Greenhouse

Get lost in the Three Climates Greenhouse and experience the three climate zones; subtropics, tropics and the desert. In the subtropics you will find shrubs, flowing streams with water lilies and ferns and you should also look up, because the most beautiful and tallest plants and trees grow there. Take a seat on one of the benches and be surprised by mother nature.

Imagine yourself in the desert between the impressive succulents and the most prickly cacti, in their natural habitat. It is a super diverse collection in all shapes and sizes. They can survive in this arid climate because they master a technique of absorbing enough water and holding it for a long time. How special?!

The part of the tropics has high temperatures and high humidity. This causes the windows of the greenhouses to fog up, which looks mysterious. When you walk through the tropics, you can enjoy the sound of running water. Due to the tropical temperatures, drops will form on some plants, in which you see the reflection of all the greenery.

The Palm Greenhouse

Leave the Three Climates Greenhouse, walk through the garden towards the Palm Greenhouse. This place is also a wedding venue, it’s dreamy for sure. It is also the place where concerts and yoga sessions are held. In the summer this greenhouse is a bit emptier, because a number of plants will enjoy the wonderful summer weather outside.

Instagrammable spots

During your visit to Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam you will find many instagrammable spots. Stroll across the narrow floating bridges and look out over the colorful plant kingdom. Let the overgrown winding paths lead you past small ponds with fish and waterfalls. Photograph the most special cacti that stand out beautifully against the bright pink wall. Have lunch or a drink in the restaurant and admire the impressive Pandanus Utilis tree, which grows indoors due to the poor winter temperatures in the Netherlands.

Tips

We visited Hortus during the week. We almost had the gardens and greenhouses to ourselves and we could enjoy our visit to the fullest. It is best to visit the botanical garden when it is sunny. Then the sun’s rays magically shine through the greenhouse and all the greenery is beautifully illuminated.

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We are Abel & Danique, the enthusiastic travel couple behind HappyTravelSpots. With this blog we want to prepare you for your next travel so you know where to find all the happy travel spots. 

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Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam

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