Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln, Botanical garden in Riehl, Cologne, Germany.
Flora und Botanischer Garten Köln is a garden with greenhouses and themed areas in the Riehl district of Cologne covering roughly 5.5 hectares (13.6 acres). The site holds around 12,000 plant species from all climate zones, divided into open-air sections and several covered glass houses with different design styles.
The garden opened in 1864 following designs by Peter Joseph Lenné, with around 4,000 members of Cologne society arriving by carriages and steamboats for the opening. The site began as a private association and later evolved into a public facility for plant research.
The iris garden displays numerous sword lily varieties in full bloom during spring, while the café Dank Augusta takes its name from a prized camellia. Visitors experience how plants were once used for food and healing purposes, which remains visible in the beds today.
Entry is free all year and the paths lead through different climate zones from open ground to the tropical glasshouses. Spring and autumn work well for a visit, when many plants bloom or change color.
The camellia collection includes around 500 specimens representing 400 varieties, among them rare Japanese cultivars, some of which are over 100 years old. Several of these plants were established in the 19th century and survived two world wars in their winter quarters.
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