Botanischer Garten der Ruhr-Universität Bochum

The Botanical Garden of the Ruhr -Universität Bochum (RUB ) is surrounded by a wooded area in Querenburg district, in Kalwes. To the north it borders directly to the Ruhr- University Bochum. South of the gently sloping garden grounds are the Lottental and Kemnade.

The garden is open during the summer months ( April to September) from 9-18 clock and during the winter months ( October to March) of 9-17 clock. Admission is free. Director of the botanical garden is Prof. Dr. Thomas Stützel.

• 5.1 creation
• 5.2 style
• 5.3 Tour
• 5.4 Meaning of the name

History

The botanical garden is the Faculty of Biology of the Ruhr University, founded in 1962 to study and research purposes. After preparatory work starting in 1966, the garden was founded in 1968 with the setting of the first gardener and since then continuously expanded and developed. Since 1971 he is open to the public. In 1976, the Tropical House, 1988 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Desert House, 1990, the Chinese Garden, and in 2000 savannah house was completed.

Data

The fenced area of the Botanical Garden will total an area of 13,000 m². The area of ​​the greenhouses is about 3,500 m². The special features include the Chinese Garden, considered to be unique in Germany, because it was built entirely by Chinese professionals in the southern Chinese style.

Other features include areas for

• Geobotany (Europe, Asia, North America)
• Vegetation history ( Glacial, Holocene, tertiary vegetation)
• Stream
• Jewelry planting
• Greenhouses ( tropical, savannah, desert house )

Overview of the botanical garden

On special collections are worth mentioning:

• Alpine plants
• Plants of the Canary Islands
• Bromeliads ( bromeliads )
• Ferns
• Cycads ( cycads )
• Carnivorous plants ( carnivores )
• Succulent spurge ( Euphorbia, Jatrophas )
• Succulents Madagascar

Greenhouses, terraces, forests and meadows are embedded in harmony with the natural surroundings and offer so many animals and an extended living space.

Greenhouses

The four houses are connected by a central entrance hall with each other, which has display boards and often occupied Information table.

Tropical House

The tropical house with 17 meters height and 713 m² size gives the visitor the impression of being in the middle of a jungle. In addition to a small stream, it contains large trees, herbs, banana trees, coffee trees and other useful plants of tropical rainforests. Fitted into the environment inhabit tropical birds such as toucans and sunbirds the house.

Desert House

In the desert house plants find dry tropical and subtropical regions of Madagascar, Africa and America in geographically ordered regions. Here you can marvel at different relationship similar evolution of growth forms ( convergence ) under similar climatic conditions. Among many succulents also abundant herbaceous plants of the understorey vegetation are present. Although the plants are pushed much denser than in the countryside, the house nevertheless provide a very good idea of ​​their diversity and their habitats. Particularly impressive are the huge, tree-shaped succulents that are otherwise only as miniature versions of the window sill. But even among the small growing plants, there are many, well-build treasures, a second time can be seen elsewhere in Germany hardly. Despite the many poisonous plants and often dangerous thorns all beds are in a perfect conditions.

Savannah homes

The most recently completed two savannah homes that are located between desert and tropical house, show sclerophyllous shrubs from South Africa and Australia, with its accompanying vegetation. In addition to many Eucalyptus species are there as a special botanical treasures, among others Australian grass trees ( Xanthorrhoea ) and see a tree-shaped Cussonia.

Non-public Greenhouses

The passage which connects the starting non-public greenhouses from the tropical house, is also worth a visit. There you will find next to palm trees and cycads also beautiful cabinets with orchids, bromeliads and succulents. In winter, when the many potted plants in the garden need a warm winter place, it is quite narrow in progress.

In principle, the fantastic non-public greenhouses Special collections can be visited. To this end, however, the competent gardeners or Master Gardeners must be present and have plenty of time for the visitor. But this is, especially in spring and summer, when the plants must be propagated cast and well maintained, only rarely the case. If a visitor is thus particularly interested in the special collections, it must have better luck or time agreed in advance an appointment in the Secretariat.

Outdoor facilities

The south part of the Botanical Garden occupies the Geobotany Department. This is an area of typical European biotopes, such as different types of forests and representatives of heath and coastal vegetation. These are complemented by meadows, grasslands, marshes and forest tree species, as they are usually only found in Asia and parts of America. Here you can learn to understand the relationships of plants with each other and within the environmental context.

In spring and summer, the stream with the ponds is a special attraction. Then cavort there among the water plants innumerable frogs whose croaking is several hundred yards to hear. The gurgle of the stream, umherschwirrende dragonflies and the ubiquitous chirping of birds enrich the soundscape.

To the Desert House and particularly on its south side is modeled on a 400 m² large steppe and desert landscape in summer. There, held as container plants succulents are embedded in the sandy soil and so cleverly arranged with rubble and accompanying vegetation, giving the impression of a real landscape created. Due to its sheltered, south-facing position to bear the succulents also a rainy summer without any major problems.

All departments find themselves amidst a landscape of flower beds, lawns and stairs that are lined with potted plants. The visitor can admire so on his way between the different areas of crops, herbs, garden flowers, exotic shrubs and perennials plant, cleverly designed rock corridors with alpine plants and discounts with ornamental planting techniques.

The Chinese Garden

Creation

The Chinese Garden of Bochum named Qian Yuan (Chinese潜 园, Pinyin Qianyuan, Qian's garden ') is designed as a garden in the garden in the bottom of the slope of the Botanical Gardens and entirely surrounded by a wall. Access is via stepping stones in an input pool; the plant itself is 1000 m², with a pond occupies half of this area. This example of Chinese garden art donated the Tongji University in Shanghai at the Ruhr University in token of friendship. Chinese architects and craftsmen have designed it in 1986 from the original components, which were transported by sea. When setting up 600 tons of rock were piled up into rock formations under the guidance of Chinese specialists and provided with wall passages, terraces and pavilions.

In 2001, rehabilitated Chinese skilled workers the garden for four months basically because constructively supporting particular woods were threatened due to a fungal infection of the decay and the roof tiles had frost damage, so that the plant had to be temporarily closed. On 18 October 2001, the reopening of the garden was.

Style

Basically, there are two stylistic characteristics in the horticultural art of China. The northern Chinese imperial style or called extensive systems using valuable materials such as marble or in different colors glazed tiles. The Chinese Garden of the Ruhr University in Bochum other hand, is the only garden in Germany, which was carried out in the Southern Chinese style. This style stands for simple materials such as natural stone, wood, brick and solid color back for muted colors and is preferred by high-ranking officials, scholars and artists. It is based on the southern Chinese gardens and to give the impression as if the landscape elements used such as water, rocks, terrain elevations and the expression already given by nature and have been present. Therefore, these simple materials and restrained colors ( white, black, brown, gray and dark red ) were also used in Bochum.

The principle of the garden is such that rest and motion of nature are interwoven architecturally into a whole: the water in a peaceful form as a pond or fountain, moved as a source or waterfall. In the corridors that run through the entire system, the visitor moves to the best view points in the garden and can always stop in small pavilions whose swinging leaking roofs were covered with unique and handmade bricks.

Tour

Even outside the Chinese natural stone walls, the visitor should be attuned to the meditative simplicity of the southern Chinese form of art. This is architecturally achieved by artfully designed, partly round, but also openwork wall openings that are intended to identify as a connection between inside and outside on the specificity of the " garden in the garden ."

On large stepping stone slabs over a basin access the visitor passes through a wooden double door in the small entrance hall. To the left, then leads a winding walkway in the garden - over a small bridge to the spacious main hall. From there, visitors can enjoy the view over the whole garden. From the main hall a few stone steps lead down to the water pavilion.

From the rear of the main hall branches off a small walkway leading past the visitors at four exceptionally beautiful, large garden illustrations (plans and perspective views ) in the form of stone relief work on an antique fountain. From seasonal flowers surrounded tuned, the perfect illusion rural still life is created.

The next image is bidding on the way - jagged rocks and a hut with a low thatched roof right on the water - reminiscent of an old ferry landing. Once you get past some towering rocks with a few mountain paths, the road seems to end suddenly in front of a rock wall and leads yet further into a dark spring cave. After that, the visitor steps into the light. Finally, on the Wandelweg it comes to small island pavilion with a hexagonal floor plan, from where the view once again covers the entire garden.

Meaning of the name

The garden name " Qian's Garden " goes back to Tao Qian ( 365-427 AD), a well-known writer, whose " report from the peach blossom source " for centuries in China enjoys great popularity. In this tale, a fisherman lost in a dream land called " Peach Blossom Land". There, people lead a harmonious, prosperous life in a wonderful setting. Tao Qian describes in this way his hope for an ideal society and the longing for a harmonious life in harmony with nature. For the purposes of this philosophy in Bochum built the architects of the " Qian Yuan" the garden.

Swell