Botanical Garden, Prague - Botanical Gardens on Waymarking.com

Open Air Exhibitions

Japanese Garden is considered to be the most attractive section of the Open Air Exhibitions. This part of the botanical garden invites all visitors to quiet down and relax. Selection of plants and their placement has been adjusted to emphasize the grace of evergreen shrubs, conifers and deciduous trees; the changes of scenery during the year are envisaged. This garden is divided into two subsections. The first one represents the “landscape with mountains, trees, stream and lake”. Its dominant is the lake with a turtle-shaped islet, where the turtle is the symbol of longevity. Grouping of stones between the bank and the islet is symbolizing ships, heading to the islet and therefore is called “stones of night expectation”. The trunk of pine, dominating the islet, is reflected in the lakes’ surface together with clumps of grasses, irises, bamboos and azaleas, growing up of rugged banks with pools. Originating high in the mountains, the stream flows around the hills, suddenly changing into cascades and waterfalls. In its bed lies the “stone of the rapids” and at the spot of flowing into the lake, the “stone of the inlet” is located. A short stop at the little fountain is a symbol of physical and spiritual cleanup and a moment of aesthetic experience.

Garden routes are changing as demanded by practical needs and tasteful tuning – continuous stone paving changes into randomly laid stones and sandy paths. Stones are protruding a little above the road’s level, merely not to smear one’s shoes; their layout is intentionally irregular, just to look natural. A hut nestled against the “mountains” offers serenity for rest and listening to the thunder of the nearby waterfall. From this place visitors may enjoy the best views of the garden itself and surrounding hills.

Early in the spring, first sakura trees in the “Japanese cherry tree grove” of our garden start blooming - 26 cultivars of Japanese cherry trees (Prunus) were planted here. According to the Shinto symbolism of plants these trees are representing the spring and perfection, maiden tenderness and resistance, too. The time when Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in blossom is one of the greatest impressions of the garden; in June – July the Japanese Irises are blooming. As unique should be considered the collection of Japanese Maples, counting 32 taxons.

The plants from Japan and China are little by little collected in the other subsection of the Japanese Garden.

During summer altogether 300 species and cultivars of perennial and annual plants collection are in blossom in other landscaped part of the open air exhibition of the garden – check the central bed of these plants yourself.

Apart from this, a valuable collection of bulbous plants is worth of seeing. From early March bluebells, saffron crocuses, hyacinths, “doves’ dung” (Ornithogalum sp.) and grape hyacinths burst into flower, later followed by daffodils, tulip species and cultivars of Tulipa fosteriana, T. kaufmanniana and T. greigii... Collection of dwarf bulbs and tuberous plants is accompanied by ground hugging alpine plants, which become apparent after the foliage of bulbs has died down. In September and October, the meadow saffrons, locally called “naked ladies”, come into blossom by the lake, together with goldening grasses set off the beautiful feeling of autumn.

Small alpine house is divided into four parts. Collection of temperate orchids is represented by genus Pleione, Calanthe and Bletilla from South East Asia. Mediterranean flora is presented by plants from Crete and Mallorca. Near the waterfall are some examples of carnivorous plants. Flora of New Zealand and Australia is presented by tiny herbs of the Compositae family and by shrubs of the genus Hebe.

Near the lookout next to the St. Claire’s vineyard the collection of heath plants is located. Heaths, lings, bearberry, Azaleas and Rhododendrons together with tiny conifers and barberries are in blossom all year round in a multicoloured mosaic.

The Mediterranean collection is spread on the sunny slope under the Japanese Garden. Most of plants have been collected by field expeditions organized by the Botanical garden in 1995 and 1996. Examples of plants from rock steppes, semideserts and pastures of the central sections of Asia Minor and mountain species of the Mediterranean flora are exhibited here; e. g. cushion shaped sweet woodruffs, sandworts, pinks, fescues and blue moor grasses.

Exhibition of Irises is in full blossom from end of May till the end of June, displaying the assortment of hybrids of garden Irises, ranging from the traditional kinds to the most up-to-date cultivars, crossbred mainly in the USA. In the hollow, where rainwater is aggregated, hygrophilous Siberian and Kaempfer’s irises, together with new cultivars of Iris spuria are exhibited. In total 500 taxons are displayed, which means about 5 000 plants.

St. Claire’s vineyard is under protection of law as “National Heritage” and with other four adjacent vineyards resembles the past glory of Prague’s viticulture. Originally, this vineyard was affined to the chateau of Troja, its enormous cellars have been the place of the processing of the grapes for centuries. In the twenties of the past century the vineyard was changed into an orchard; downy mildew had destroyed the vineyard completely. The fifties of last century were the comeback of vine to St. Claire and since then the traditional benchless vineyard is cultivated verbatim by hand because of the steep slopes of Troja hill. Being spread over 3, 5 hectares of land it is the largest vineyard of today’s Prague. Vine strains as Rhein Riezling, Muller Thurgau, Blue Portugal and Red Traminer are grown here. The old vineyard house, possibly built in the 18th century is the centrepiece of this part, containing a famed cellar with a choice of local and Moravian vines. A nice view of Prague’s panorama can be relished together with vine degustation, too.

A true dominant of the Botanical Garden is the chapel consecrated to St. Claire. The chapel may be visited each Sunday, except July – August during the church service, which commences at 10.15 A.M.



FATA MORGANA, a tour around the world through the tropics

Fata Morgana, the tropical greenhouse is placed off the main open air expositions of the botanical garden, lying on the southern sunny side of the Trojan hillside. A modern construction with unusual “S” shaped ground plan is embedded into rocky terrain. Natural breakup of the rocky surface is artfully exploited for terraced planting of displayed vegetation. This remarkable shape and unique solution for exhibition area is covering approximately 1750 sq. metres and is considered to be unparalleled in Europe.

The interior of the greenhouse is divided into three self – reliant sections with different temperature and humidity, in which the visitor gradually becomes acquainted with the vegetation of tropical and of subtropical zones, too. The plants are differentiated according to the important phytogeographical regions with the aim to create the conception of natural plant formations. Contrary to other greenhouses, many plant species which are rather frequent in their natural environment and are not in the direct center of gardener’s interest are on display in Fata Morgana. We have to emphasize that these plants were acquired during the sampling expeditions of our experts, thus these plants are scientifically identified moreover by their exact place of origin. The collection of such plants represents very valuable research object.

Xerophilous vegetation of arid (dry) regions of the tropics and subtropics is on display in the introductory part of the exposition. Visitor is greeted by dry Australian bush and by examples of rare flora from Madagascar. Further on display are xeric plants from south Mexico and some regions of Africa, among them most interesting are originating in CAPE Namaqualand and Little Karoo.

Succulent section

First section of the greenhouse presents xerophilous plants from three continents. Right-hand terraces next to the wall are dedicated to the arid sections of Australia; the central part of the rock is planted by flora from Mexico, especially from southern states Oaxaca and Pueblo. A small exposition of plants from Madagascar lies beside. The rest of the descending slope is full of plant associations from Africa from its equatorial regions down to the Cape in the south. Narrow beds lining with the path show up the flora of Madagascar again.

Lowland section

Central and at the same time the biggest section of the greenhouse contains the tropical lowland rainforest. It is connected with the succulent section by underground gallery, bored through the rock. At its end, both sides of the gallery are huge windows into two large freshwater aquariums, rich by a plethora of tropical fish and other aquatic creatures.

Major part of the tropical forest is formed by plant associations of South America and some selected regions of Central America, other parts are presenting the flora from Australia and Polynesia, Africa and Madagascar, Vietnam, Sunda Isles and the Philippines. Again, visitor may observe the life of tropical lakes, this time from above their level; he also may stop for a moment at the observation gallery and while listening to a nearby waterfall he may experience the atmosphere of the virgin forest.

Mountainous section

The chilled section is the last part of the greenhouse, presenting the rough environment of high mountains. Examples of the flora of South American Andes and alpine regions of both mainland and island Asia and subtropical South Africa are displayed in this section. The central part of this exposition is dedicated to rare vegetation of famed table mountains of Venezuela, co called Tepui formation.

A trip to the tropics may come true the year-round by visiting Troja. Remarkable shapes of the plants, magic colours and interesting textures of the vegetation are changing; different forms of flowers start blooming continuously and new kinds of plants are coming to the garden constantly. A walk over the exotic mountains and forests and semideserts may please every inquiring visitor at any time of the year.

All accesses and paths within the greenhouse are suitable for wheelchairs and disabled persons!




Opening time:

Open air expositions: daily

Fata Morgana: Tuesday – Sunday

April: 9 – 18

May – September: 9 – 19

October: 9 – 17

November – March: 9 – 16



Public transport

City bus No 112 from subway station Nádraží Holešovice till the stop “ZOO” or “Botanická zahrada Troja” and then follow the signs for 5 minutes to the Botanical Garden


Fata Morgana Entrance fee:

KC 90,- adult

KC 45,- students (ISIC and TEACHER card), children from 6 to 15 years

KC 250,- family fee (2 adults and 2 children 6 till 15)

Entrance free for child under 6, senior citizens, disabled persons with assistant



Entrance fee for Open Air Expositions:

KC 40,- adult

KC 20,- students (ISIC and TEACHER card), children from 6 to 15 years

KC 100,- family fee (2 adults and 2 children 6 till 15)

Entrance free for child under 6, senior citizens, disabled persons with assistant



Joint Entrance fee (Fata Morgana and Open Air Expositions):

KC 120,- adult

KC 60,- students (ISIC and TEACHER card), children from 6 to 15 years

Kc 320,- family fee (2 adults and 2 children 6 till 15)

Entrance free for child under 6, teachers accompanying pupils, senior citizens, disabled persons with assistant.

Cost of entry: 90.00 (listed in local currency) Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri: From: 12:00 AM To: 12:00 AM Hours of Operation: Sat, Sun: From: 12:00 AM To: 12:00 AM

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