A colourful flower bed in Prague Botanical Garden © Ricky Yates
The Prague Botanical Garden is situated in the suburb of Troja, adjacent to Prague Zoo. So our journey to get there on Monday 23rd July was exactly the same as the one I described in my earlier post about our visit to the zoo. We had only visited the Botanical Garden once previously, about three years ago, and it proved to be somewhere well worth re-visiting.
The southern section of the garden consists of a series of beds planted with a whole variety flowers from across Europe and beyond. The photograph on the left is of a bed of perennial and annual plants which over the summer months, sees more than 300 species in bloom. These beds are surrounded by manicured lawns with plenty of space for people just to sit and relax and enjoy the beauty of the flowers.
Another area is given over to plants that enjoy more moisture and has a small lake at it centre. Other areas that have more trees feature flowers and plants that prefer a little more shade.
Immediately below the southern section lies the much longer-established St. Claire’s Vineyard, now incorporated within the Botanical Garden. The vineyard takes its name from the little chapel dedicated to St. Claire that is situated right on the top of the south-facing slope of the vineyard. The photograph below was taken from alongside the chapel.
St. Claire’s Vineyard looking towards Zámek Troja © Ricky Yates
Below the vineyard, but outside of the Botanical Garden, is Zámek Troja. It too is surrounded by very attractive gardens including a long-established maze. But because the Zámek is now an art gallery in the care of Prague City Council, like nearly all art galleries and museums in the Czech Republic, it doesn’t open on Mondays. And unfortunately, as we discovered, the same applies to the grounds as well as to the Zámek.
A view of the Japanese Garden © Ricky Yates
Adjacent to the more ornamental beds of the southern section of the Botanical Garden is a separate Japanese Garden. It features broadleaved trees of Japanese and Chinese origin, together with a stream and small lake. Most significantly, it also has a collection of bonsai trees, one of which can be clearly seen in this photograph on the left.
The larger, wilder northern section of the Botanical Garden lies further uphill with more than half of it being forested. However, two sections display different aspects of the natural world of North America. One area is has plants from the prairie whilst another displays plants and flowers from the semi-desert regions including these bright purple flowers below.
With an entry fee of just CZK 50 for Sybille and only CZK 25 for me being ‘senior’ aged 60-69 🙂 , we shall certainly return to see the Prague Botanical Garden in another season. But we’ll try and avoid going on a Monday so we can visit the gardens of Zámek Troja as well!
Flowers from the North American semi-desert © Ricky Yates
Lovely photos, Ricky. You obviously had wonderful sunshine to show off the flowers at their best. 🙂 Am I right in saying we caught the bus back to the ferry from a stop near the Troja Palace after our visit to the zoo?
Thank you Perpetua – Yes, if anything, the weather was better during the second week of our holiday when we visited the Botanical Garden. Your memory is correct! The entrance to Zámek Troja/Troja Palace or Château, (whatever you like to call it 🙂 ), is directly opposite the main entrance to Prague Zoo & buses do leave from the area immediately between those two entrances.
Oh dear, it’s happened again, Ricky. I’ve received Karen’s comment and your reply to it, but not your reply to my comment. Very odd. 🙁 It doesn’t happen with any of the other WordPress-based blogs I follow, once I’ve subscribed to the post.
I’ve once more consulted my technical guru (aka Sybille), & she does not know the source of the problem as she says the settings are correct. I apologise most sincerely but I’m at a loss as to what else I can do.
No apology needed, Ricky. It’s not your fault. Please thank Sybille for checking. What’s even odder is that I’ve received your reply to my second comment straight away. It’s only the first reply to my first comment which goes missing! Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice would say. 🙂
As you say Perpetua, the problem seems to lie with my reply to your initial comment – not with any subsequent replies or comments. I will have a further conversation with my technical guru but she says that she is getting all the notifications herself. Maybe we should consult with Alice 🙂
I have never heard of the Prague Botanical Garden. It must be deeply underpublicized because I love every Czech garden I go to and would have made this one a priority if I had heard of it, especially with the addition of a Japanese garden.
Karen – I guess the problem is that it isn’t located in the centre of Prague amongst the tourist hot-spots but out in Prague 7 in Troja. However, if people visit Prague Zoo they usually become aware of the Botanical Garden because it is just up the hill from the main zoo entrance.
Even better: apparently, in the winter months (maybe after a certain hour? I’m not sure), the entrance is free. Of course, there is less to see during the winter months, but there still are interesting things! Like exhibitions of sculptures.
My grandma lives in Trója, so we took advantage of the free entrance. 🙂
BTW, have you been to the other botanical garden in Prague? The one near Karlovo námestí (Na Slupi)? It’s much smaller (nowhere to grow), but also nice.
Hi Hana – I’m not sure it is now free in winter months. When did you last visit? Yes – we have been to the Charles University Botanical Gardens that you mention. See http://rickyyates.com/beautiful-gardens-and-a-tale-of-two-bar-restaurants/
If I remember correctly, last Christmas.
Duly noted! Though changing senior entrance for 1 Kc from aged 60 to aged 70 happened on 1st January 2012. There may be therefore no free entrance this coming Christmas!
Right. I don’t follow closely, but there may have been financial cuts for all institutions like this. There used to be free entrance evenings on Tuesdays in the Umeleckoprumyslové muzeum and they had to stop that.
Hana – I think there have been financial cuts implemented from the beginning of this year, hence the increased charges at Prague Zoo, the reduction of benefits to seniors aged 60 – 69 & the end of free entrance at certain times to the museum you mention & the Botanical Gardens in winter.