What is a Botanical Garden?

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Botanical gardens function as living plant collections which serve multiple functions including scientific research and conservation efforts as well as educational display purposes. Specialist plant collections such as cacti or regional herbs may be part of a botanical garden’s exhibits.

Many botanical gardens contain specialized libraries and research labs as well as herbariums exclusively focused on plant classification. These institutions publish brochures and books while they also organize workshops for amateur botanists.

Origins
Scientific institutions focused on plant research make up botanical gardens which operate independently or as university divisions. Scientists work in botanical gardens which have greenhouses and research fields along with herbaria and plant research libraries and labs. These gardens publish academic material about plant science which has historical roots in ancient royal gardens from Egypt and Mesopotamia as well as Crete and Mexico that displayed exotic plants and monastic gardens which pioneered botanical gardens through the cultivation and study of medicinal herbs.

Botanical gardens engage in research studies of botany’s morphology, anatomy, ecology and biodiversity conservation as well as other scientific fields through their living plant collections. Other gardens alongside institutions and members of the public receive this information from botanical gardens.

A majority of botanical gardens maintain large collections of plants which either represent endangered species or are considered rare. These endangered plant species either get replanted in their natural habitats to assist with ecological restoration or remain stored in botanical gardens and greenhouses globally so they can be used for planting at a future date.

Functions
Throughout history humans have collected beautiful things and plants have always been included in these collections. The collection of plants for medicinal purposes first sparked interest which grew into global plant imports during the 17th and 18th century European exploration period and this led to the creation of botanical gardens in that era.

Research in taxonomy, genetics and biodiversity conservation depends heavily on the activities of botanical gardens. Herbarium collections with filed plant specimens for identification purposes exist within many botanical gardens and these facilities also sometimes provide growing space for endangered and rare plant species.

Essential conservation materials from botanical garden collections support wild species protection including South Africa’s critically endangered Haemanthus pumilio and Namibia’s Protea odorata while living specimens help replace invasive species during habitat restoration.

Maintenance
Botanical gardens focus on growing and exhibiting various plant species for research study as well as public enjoyment and appreciation. Both private organizations and public institutions such as government agencies and universities finance botanic gardens.

Apart from serving as attractive landscapes botanical gardens function as active plant collections which support both in situ and ex situ conservation activities. Botanical gardens have the necessary expertise to cultivate endangered native species in their natural habitats and maintain seed banks along with genetic resources needed for ex situ conservation.

Botanical gardens that hold large collections of rhododendrons and azaleas provide seeds or cuttings which can be used for planting in other locations to maintain genetic diversity among these species. Botanical gardens act as storage facilities for plant taxonomy which involves the scientific grouping of plants into related categories. Botanical gardens house herbarium collections which consist of dried plant specimens that are sorted alphabetically by their scientific names for reference use.

Staff
Botanical gardens employ a range of professionals. Staff at botanical gardens includes specialists in taxonomy and plant labeling along with horticulture professionals who care for herbariums as well as researchers who investigate plant biology and ecology along with unique plant properties and rare species conservation methods.

Botanical gardens offer educational programs about local plants and gardening alongside art exhibitions, lectures, courses or special events for public participation.

At Botanic Garden Conservation International (BGCI), Yvette manages Global Conservation Initiatives which connects U.S. botanical gardens to international projects. She specializes in environmental education and ecological restoration project management while supporting the Ecological Restoration Alliance and Global Trees Campaign and Ecological Restoration Alliance Alliance and Alliance and brings experience as a landscape architect from Northern California before she joined NTBG where she manages the Medicinal Collection Nursery and works on library collection maintenance and herbarium preservation.

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