The desire of Plovdiv residents to have a botanical garden remains strong.

In the fifth consecutive cleaning event of the Plovdiv Botanical Garden, both young and adult volunteers participated. While the adult volunteers managed to clean about 200 square meters of the area, the children took part in specially organized outdoor workshops where they created fourteen birdhouses. At the end of the event, all participants agreed that Plovdiv needs the botanical garden restored as a place for relaxation and outdoor activities. Therefore, the organizers will continue with these initiatives. The next event is scheduled for April 15 at 11 a.m.

Given the current state of the botanical garden, it’s hard to imagine that just a few decades ago it was a vibrant gallery showcasing a vast diversity of plant species. The Botanical Garden was founded in 1950 on a plot of 250 decares, making it the third in Bulgaria and the first outside Sofia. At the heart of its creation was Professor Kiril Kiryakov, who, as head of the Botany Department at the Agronomy and Forestry Faculty in Plovdiv, assembled a team of nature enthusiasts and began an intensive study of Bulgaria’s plant resources.

The newly established botanical garden provided excellent conditions for scientific research. The development of the garden was further supported by expeditions organized by Professor Stoyan Dimitrov, involving all the department’s faculty members.

Real efforts to build the garden’s collection began in 1957, when Dr. Eng. Dimo Gramatikov was appointed as its director. In the following years, a project was developed to improve the area, including the creation of water features, artificial landforms, rock gardens, a network of paths, resting places, a rose garden, and more.

With planting material from the parks of former royal palaces (Krivus, Vrana, Euxinograd) and from major decorative nurseries in the country, the foundation for the garden’s arboretum was laid. By the 1980s and early 1990s, it became one of the richest in terms of species diversity in Bulgaria. In 1963, a seed bank was established and the first seed catalog was issued, integrating the garden into the international system for exchanging plant genetic material (seeds and vegetative material for propagation).

By 1990, the garden had established contacts with more than 150 botanical gardens across Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, Australia, North and South America. The garden published its seed catalog annually or biannually without interruption from 1963 to 1991.

In the early 1970s, the garden’s area was reduced twice. Thus, from its original 250 decares, it was reduced to 113.504 decares. Fortunately, the western part of the garden, which is the most developed and well-maintained, was preserved. However, currently, no activities are taking place there, and the area has become extremely neglected and overgrown. Over the years, several restoration initiatives have been organized, but unfortunately, they have been unsuccessful. The desire of Plovdiv residents to have a botanical garden continues.

Source : plovdivtown