- Address: 19 De Abril 1181, 11700 Montevideo, Departamento de Montevideo,
- Phone: +598 2336 4005
- Opening hours: 7: 00-17: 30
- Website: jardinbotanico.montevideo.gub.uy
The capital of Uruguay - Montevideo - is famous for its squares, boulevards and parks. Here is the first and only botanical garden in the country (Jardín Botanico de Montevideo).
Interesting information
The basic facts about what constitutes the botanical garden of Montevideo are:
- It is located near the city center, in the Prado Park , and has a total area of 132.5 square meters. m, almost 75% of which are planted. In 1924, the official opening of the botanical garden.
- In 1941, during the leadership of Professor Atilio Lombardo, the park received the status of National. Now there is a museum dedicated to his life, which is the center of research and botany training for all comers.
- The staff of the establishment also cultivates and selects both native plants and others brought here from all over the world. This is done in order to subsequently grow them in public squares and parks. Even in the scientific center they domesticate, bring out new species and breed the endangered.
- Workers conduct phytosanitary control, which includes the fight against diseases and pests, fertilization, irrigation, transplantation, removal of unnecessary shoots, etc. They also monitor the safety of visitors, because not all plants are harmless.
What is in the botanical garden of Montevideo?
It is a picturesque oasis in the center of the city, inhabited by various tropical birds (including parrots). Of the plants here you can find almost all representatives of the flora of South America. In the park there are 1,761 specimens of trees (some of them are over 100 years old), 620 shrubs and 2,400 flowers.
In the botanical garden there are special zones in which a collection of plants is distributed in accordance with natural environments: tropical, water, drought-resistant, shade-loving, and medicinal species.
Separately there is a greenhouse in which the staff conducts permanent work and experiments with plants:
- maintain moisture;
- regulate the required temperature;
- filter the lighting;
- carry out acclimatization;
- protect shoots from direct sunlight.
Here grow orchids, palms, ferns and other tropical plants.
In the botanical garden of Montevideo they breed butterflies. Now 53 species of these insects live here, some of which live only in the park. These are the families of Hesperiidae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae and Papilionidae. Visitors are allowed to watch Lepidoptera and take pictures of them. The best time for this is spring and summer.
Visit to the park
Every year, the botanical garden is visited by up to 400 thousand people. It is open daily from 7:00 to 17:30. Friday is considered a children's day when groups of students and students come.
For visitors throughout the park are benches, pedestrian paths are laid, there is a pond and fountains. Entrance here is free, shooting is not forbidden.
The main goal of the institution is to increase knowledge among the local population about endemics, South American and other plants. There is an information stand, and next to each tree or shrub is a sign with a description.
The Botanical Garden is of interest in any season. Plants bloom, bear fruit and change the color of foliage at different times of the year, and some of them are pleased with their gifts for several months.
How to get to the park?
You can reach the botanical garden from the center of Montevideo by car or on foot via Rambla Sud América, Rambla Edison or Av 19 de Abril. The distance is 7 km.