The Netherlands is well known for its abundant flower fields full of colorful tulips as far as the eye can see. A lesser-known site to go see rare and beautiful greenery is the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam.
The botanical garden was founded in 1682, while the Golden Age of Dutch trade, science, military and art was at its peak. The garden measures only 1.2 hectares, a little bit more than a professional football field, but the number of plants is enormous. There are over 4,000 plant species in the garden and seven greenhouses. Each greenhouse represents a different climate, so the temperature and humidity are especially adjusted.
The outdoor garden looked much different in the 17th century than it does today. Then, the straight beds contained medicinal plants, while the ornamental flowers were grown in symmetric arches.
The present design, dating from 1863, is characteristic of the Romantic Movement: the curving paths and round shapes should make the visitor forget the surrounding city. Visit the garden during the summer and take the rare chance to see the famous Victoria amazonica — the queen of the water lilies — blossom in all her splendor. Marvel at the collection of endangered Aloe species. Enter the Butterfly Greenhouse and you will see hundreds of tropical butterflies frolicking amidst the palm trees and coffee plants.
In the Middle Ages, Arabs imported the Coffea Arabica plant from Ethiopia to the south west of the Arabian Peninsula and started a rich coffee culture and trade. Only toward the end of the 16th century did coffee come into fashion in Europe when they established trade relations with the Arab world. The high price of coffee motived the Dutch to grow and import their own coffee beans. A Dutch merchant managed to take a coffee plant from Makkah and experiment with this in Indonesia, then a colony of the Netherlands.
The first batch of coffee plants was shipped in 1706 to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam. Here, in one of the greenhouses, the plants grew prosperously. One plant was gifted to the French King Louis XIV, who had it shipped to his colonies in South and Middle America. From there on, coffee conquered the planet. Today, the Coffea Arabica plant yields 74 percent of all coffee produced around the world.
For adults and children alike, the botanical garden offers a relaxing and invigorating educational experience. A chance to get away from intrusive inner city life, while reconnecting to nature’s miracles.
— Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, http://en.dehortus.nl/
