Botanischer Garten Schellerhau, botanical garden
The Botanischer Garten Schellerhau is an open-air garden in Altenberg displaying around 1,400 species of alpine plants from Europe, North America, Asia, and the Caucasus region. The plants grow on a 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) sloped site without greenhouses, each labeled for visitor identification.
The garden was established in 1906 by royal gardening director Gustav Adolf Poscharsky as an experimental station for studying alpine plants in outdoor cultivation. It evolved over decades through the work of successive gardeners and botanists, persisting even through wars and financial constraints.
The garden's name connects to the region's mining heritage, though today it serves as a place where visitors encounter mountain plants from across the world in their natural outdoor setting. Local schools bring children here to develop a connection with alpine ecosystems and nature conservation.
The garden is open daily from May through October and offers free parking near the entrance. Wear sturdy shoes for the sloped terrain, and note that there are no food services on-site, though restaurants are available nearby in the village.
A sound walk path within the garden allows visitors of all ages to play natural instruments, including a lithophone and objects made from wood, bamboo, and metal. This musical experience combines sounds with the natural surroundings in an unexpected way.
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