The Orto Botanico di Firenze (Florence Botanical Gardens) is a botanical garden in Florence that is being maintained by the University of Florence. It is also called as the “Garden of Simples” and is open on the weekday mornings. It’s the third oldest garden in Europe which was established on 1st December 1545 by Cosimo I de 'Medici who was the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
In the Orto Botanico di Firenze garden, the prime interest was in planting medicinal plants. The botanical garden preserved many plants and some of them were planted in small or big pots.It had a huge collection of wild plants and many were produced inside the garden and also some were collected from the original places where they are grown. They also have seeds exchanged with other institutes without any profit-loss issue.
There are many species of medicinal and aromatic plants that were used in ancient tradition as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. Poisonous plants were also paid some special attention in order to make the public aware of the problems caused by them. There are also some of the oldest specimens of Italian world like Taxus baccata, Ginkgo biloba and others. The Greenhouses have some exotic species which are moved outside during summer, but they can’t bear the winters.
The main purpose of the botanical gardens is to overcome the destructions caused by expansion of population, agriculture and industrial activities. Due to the changing habitant as well as the climate, the plant life is also damaged. Orto Botanico di Firenze garden prove to be the cornerstone in conserving the plants.
In the botanical garden, plants are put in the place that is best suitable for them after identifying the species and category of it. And the plants that show signs of illness or ageing are first propagated and then replaced. They also organize tours for the people who are interested and request them for doing so.
The most spectacular emissions of orchids are also one of the great attractions of the Orto Botanico di Firenze garden. This garden helps in conserving very rare and old specimens of flora that help in safeguarding the nature.
