Botanischer Garten

"Beware of Open Pollination"

If you are wondering what the everblooming daylilies you and your buds can do for entertainment in Jena, just ask yourself, "WWGD" (What would Goethe Do)? Goethe would undoubtedly bolt over to the Botanical Garden to visit the tree he planted there so many years ago...his beloved Ginkgo, which is now the oldest in Thuringia.

Fun side story for luvvas: his poem "Gingo Biloba" (later "Ginkgo Biloba") was dedicated to his muse, Marianne von Willemer. The tart was a recently married woman, who at 35 years his junior was the Catherine Zeta Jones to his Michael Douglas...the Hilaria to his Alec...the *ahem, fur ball* Courtney Stodden to his Doug Hutchison.

While creeping on Marianne, Goethe mailed her a Ginkgo-leaf with a side of fava beans. Then on September 15, 1815 he read his draft of the Gingo/Ginkgo poem to her and friends in Frankfurt. On September 23, 1815 he saw Marianna for the last time. Guess he couldn't see the forest for the trees!

And here for your pleasure is the poem that was the kiss of death for their little tryst:

"Gingo Biloba"

This leaf from a tree in the East,
Has been given to my garden.
It reveals a certain secret,
Which pleases me and thoughtful people.
Is it a living being,
Which has separated in itself?
Or are these two, who chose
To be recognized as one?
Answering this kind of question,
Haven't I found the proper meaning,
Don't you feel in my songs,
That I'm one and double?

In addition to Frau Willemer, old Joe was also inspired by his surroundings at the garden to create some of his other greatest hits, like "West-östlicher Divan" and "Italian Journey", which brings us back to the garden...

The second-oldest botanical garden in Germany, it was first established in 1586 as the medical garden, "Hortus Medicus in Collegio" by the University of Jena. It has been enlarged and redesigned many times in the years since. In 1776, Goethe and Botany Professor Batch founded the Botanical Garden (currently maintained by the Friedrich-Schiller-Univeristy of Jena), in addition to helping organize the Jena Institute for Botany.

The garden now contains about 12,000 plants from every climatic zone on Earth. Areas of the grounds include an alpine garden, a collection of medicinal and useful plants, a pond, an arboretum containing about 900 species of deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, a palm house, a collection of rhododendrons, roses, and dahlias, and a recreation of Goethe's Garden and the Inspector House.

The succulents section of the garden is not to be missed for those furnishing guest rooms for in-laws. Your interior decorator will be delighted when you show them examples of the the Echinocactus Grusonin/Golden Barrel Cactus, affectionately known as the "Schwiegervater and Schwiegermutter Sessels" (Father-in-law and mother-in-law chairs)!

No need to leach off your friends to get in...admission is under 5 Euro.

Most areas are wheelchair-accessible.

~The Nosy Norwegian
Sniffing out flowers, German creepers, and good deals, so that you don't have to!