Nikita Botanical Gardens

Nikita Botanical Gardens by the Black Sea near Yalta, in Crimea, UKRAINE, Europe

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"If to carry a green twig into a heart
a song-bird may perch on it"
Visit Nikita's bonsai tree exhibit.

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One of the oldest (founded in 1812) of the world's botanical gardens is Nikita Botanical Gardens (NBG or, for short, the Gardens or Nikita). It is a large scientific research institute as well as a beautiful tourist attraction. The Gardens belong to the Ukraine Academy of Agrarian Sciences (UAAS). The main direction of its work is the study of natural flora and vegetation, collection of plants, introduction of new varieties and selection of some for industrial fruit culture and floriculture. Nikita (not just the Gardens but a nearby small town by that name) is situated in the Crimea on the picturesque coast of the Black Sea not far from Yalta. NBG has branches elsewhere in Crimea and in the Kherson region of Ukraine. The total area of the NBG is 1100 hectares. NBG's coastline is 6 kilometers. The institute has 12 scientific departments. It has the largest herbarium in Europe, the oldest library in Crimea, and a scientific museum, attached to a cafe featuring exotic fruits. The Gardens annually hosts about half a million visitors. The Nikita Gardens complex includes two hotels, currently being restored, along with other commercial and health facilities. These relate to the Gardens' 50,000 species, varieties and hybrids of flowers, fruits, olives, nuts and woody, subtropical, industrial, oil-bearing and medical plants -- including rare and endangered species. The staff numbers about 1000, among whom are 130 scientific-research workers including academic and corresponding-member of UAAS, 4 professors, 15 doctors, 80 candidates for science degrees, and 40 students taking post-graduate courses. There is a Board for Defense of Candidate and Doctoral Theses.
Intensive work is done by NBG on the introduction and selection of new agricultural plants and their regionalization in the South of Ukraine, Russia and other countries. During its existence Nikita Botanical Gardens has introduced into culture more than 360 species of plants. During the last 80 years about 800 new varieties have been bred, while 25 varieties were regionalized in different countries. NBG exchanges scientific literature and seeds with 600 institutions from more than 100 countries. It has strong scientific and business links with other botanical gardens and commercial plant nurseries. Each year scientists of NBG publish over 200 scientific works. NBG also hosts international conferences, symposiums and exhibitions.
On 13 January 2000 Nikita Botanical Gardens, being of national importance and world recognition, was given the status of National Scientific Center -- to promote development of its scientific potential for effectively carrying out tasks of preserving the plant world's gene pool.
Nikita Botanical Gardens is interested in exchanging scientific information, literature, seeds, samplings and plant matter with different institutions and organizations, firms and public societies. It seeks partnerships to carry out this work in new and different directions -- such as

development of fruit cultures, floricultures, and oil-bearing plants for certified nurseries

formation of winter gardens for offices and production quarters, individual houses and flats

landscape designs for regions with extreme natural conditions and for old restored parks

growing of spice and dye plants and commercialization of products from these plants

new technologies for obtaining virus-free subtropical and stone fruit varieties

development of flowers, ornamental and medical plants by biotechnological methods

methodologies for controlling pests, mites and diseases in gardens, parks and vineyards

NBG is ready to suggest to partners how to produce liquid aromatic substances for foods from ecologically clean materials and herbal tea formulas for preventive health treatments for the heart, stomach, intestines and lungs. NBG is collaborating to develop Crimea's tourism infrastructure and a new system of services, with an emphasis on international scientific tourism.
Nikita Botanical Gardens; 98648, Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine
Telephone: 380 (654) 33 55 30; Fax: 380 (654) 33 53 86
To learn how to taste fruit at the Gardens <=click here
Visit Nikita bonsai miniature tree exhibit <=click here

Where Ukraine is in Europe
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     \ Fly or take train to Simferopol, take trolly, bus or taxi towards Yalta; bus and trolly stop at upper part of Nikita Gardens, walk 20 minutes to main entrance. Or take minibus 34 or 2 from Yalta center to main entrance.