The National Botanic Gardens of Ireland
The National Botanic Gardens is Ireland’s premier botanical institution receiving over 600,000 visitors each year. Founded in 1795, the National Botanic Gardens are noted for their fine plant collections, holding over 17,000 plant species and varieties from around the world. Famous for their beautiful landscaped gardens and exquisitely restored and planted glasshouses, notably the Turner Curvilinear Range and the Great Palm House, both recipients of the Europa Nostra award for excellence in conservation architecture. The institution includes Ireland’s National Herbarium and extensive library and botanical art collections. The Gardens include such features as the herbaceous borders, rose garden, woodland garden, the ponds, rock garden, arboretum and an organic fruit and vegetable garden. Training is an important component of its work and the institution includes Ireland’s leading Horticultural College.Its mission is “To ensure that plant diversity is cherished and nurtured in Ireland and throughout the world.” This mission is achieved by developing and implementing extensive work on biodiversity, in Ireland and overseas in science, conservation, education, sustainability and horticulture. Its work includes wide-ranging activities in environmental education, particularly for children. In recent years a range of new dynamic research programmes have been developed, particularly in the field of conservation biology.
