Botanischer Garten der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Botanical garden with Chinese section at Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany.
The Botanischer Garten der Ruhr-Universität Bochum is a university botanical garden in Bochum that brings together tropical glasshouses, a desert house, and open-air beds with plants from many parts of the world. Several large glasshouses each maintain a different climate, and the Chinese garden Qian Yuan occupies its own section of the grounds.
The garden was founded in 1968 and opened to the public in 1971. Over the following decades, a tropical house and a desert house were added, and the Chinese garden Qian Yuan was built between 1986 and 1990.
The Chinese garden Qian Yuan follows the style of traditional southern Chinese garden design, with a central pond, winding paths, and carefully placed stones. The name translates roughly to "garden of the distant source" and reflects a partnership between Ruhr University and a Chinese institution.
The paths are clearly marked and cross both flat and gently sloping areas, so comfortable footwear is a good idea. Some sections can be slippery when wet, and the glasshouses can be warm even in winter, so light layers are worth bringing.
The garden holds one of the largest Euphorbia collections in Germany, with around 350 species that include some very unusual growth forms. Alongside them, rare cycads are on display, a plant group that dates back hundreds of millions of years and is rarely seen growing in the open in this part of Europe.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
