Spring time!

Finally today the rain and the cold wind stopped, the sun was shining brightly so we were able to visit the Botanic Garden of Padua! I had never been there before and I really enjoyed it! ^^ The place was beautiful and the weather nice.

We arrived in the morning and even if not all the flowers had appeared in the garden yet (since we're still in March) it was very beautiful.

I must confess I imagined it to be bigger, but actually there are many things to observe!

Something about the garden. "It was planned by the Venetian Daniele Barbaro and carried out by the architect Andrea Moroni and it dates 1545 and regarded as the most ancient university garden in the world. Beginning from its foundation, it was devoted to the growth of medicinal plants, since they made up the majority of the "simples", i.e. the remedies directly obtained from nature: for this reason it was named 'Hortus Simplicium'.

It has been included in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
At present, a palm planted in 1585 is the oldest plant in the garden, commonly known as the 'Goethe palm' since the famous writer in 1786 drew his intuitions about evolution published in his book about Methemorphosis of Plants from a careful study of this palm. There are other 2 among the oldest plants in Europe: a ginkgo and a magnolia which date back to about the mid-1700s.

In the garden plants are also grouped to form some collections, like for example: insectivorous plants, Medicinal and poisonous plants, Plants from the Euganean hills, rare plants from North - East Italy, Plants introduced into Italy through this botanic garden, Itinerary for blind people." (<-- informations taken from the guide)

They are also settled in their particular climate and soil, according to their natural features. Some examples of particular enviroment are the mediterraneam maquis, the alpin rock garden, the freshwater habitat, the succulent plants, the orchid glasshouse (we weren't able to visit that though since it was closed ç.ç).

As you can see from the pictures I took, I was mainly attracted and charmed by the flowers. I wished there were more of them, they are so beautiful.
My favourites were the Japanese Prunus, the water lilies, anemones and some other white flowers but I can't remember their name.
Sorry if some of the pictures are too bright. My camera is not a professional one, so the results are not perfect. I was really excited, so I kept going around taking pictures of everything :)

I'm so glad that despite all the problems I was able to spend such a nice day as I wished it to be!! :D
Have a nice day everyone,
またね