Brocken Garden

The Brocken Garden is a botanical garden on the summit of the 1,141 meter high Brocken. He belongs to the Harz National Park and offers a portfolio of around 1,600 plant species. Among these are species that grow only in the territory of the Brocken, as the Brockenanemone called Small Alpine Pasque Flower or the Brocken hawkweed, but mainly alpine plants such as White Mountain Avens or the Swiss pasture.

History

After a herb garden was a garden with plants from the Brocken in Schierke already since 1760 on the Heinrichshöhe and from 1761 onwards, the Brocken Garden in 1890 by Albert Peter with the permission of Prince Otto of Stolberg- Wernigerode was applied to the land. Peter was a naturalist and director of the Botanical Garden of Göttingen. The purpose of the trial garden should be to explore the adaptability of Alpine plants by the terms of a new location. Due to its northern latitude, exposed location of the Brocken ( 1,141 m) corresponds to the climatic altitude of about 1700-1900 m in the Swiss Alps.

By 1945, the Brocken Garden by scientists at the University of Göttingen was conducted. Only in the years 1914 to 1934, and 1945 to 1950 the work was conditionally set by the effects of the world wars. 1950 took over the University of Halle his care.

With the declaration of the Brocken to the restricted area of the botanical garden in 1961, closed to the public and lost its importance. 1971 had to be completely set the scientific and horticultural care. In the aftermath of native plants conquered the garden back mostly. Only about 90 of the 1,400 formerly cultivated species were found in 1989 yet. After German reunification, the Brocken Garden from the Harz National Park and the Botanical Gardens of the Universities of Halle and Göttingen was rebuilt jointly.

Today the garden consists of a public exhibition part and a closed test area, are carried out in the studies on the habitat and species protection. In addition, dedicated to the restoration of the garden of the Brocken summit.

The Brocken Garden is open between May and mid-October for visitors. In 2008, the number of visitors was 9,000.

Tasks

The Brocken Garden serves the academic teaching, research, species protection, the education and public information, and thus the tasks that were to him, already assigned by its founder, Albert Peter.

Climate

The annual average temperature amounts to 2.9 ° C ( average period from 1960 to 1990 ), at an annual average of 171 frost days and 176 days with a snow cover. Fully frost-free are just the months of July and August in the long-term average. There are 1,814 liters of rain per square meter and year for an annual average humidity of 88 percent and 306 foggy days. The Brocken peak is one of the windiest places in Europe. The highest measured wind speed was 263 km / h ( 1984). The Brocken has a natural tree line.