Jerusalem Botanical Gardens 4.26

The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens is located in the neighborhood of Nayot in Jerusalem, on the southeastern edge of the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The garden is arranged in phytogeographic sections, featuring flora of various regions around the world. The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens opened to the public in 1985. The tropical conservatory opened in 1986 and the South Africa section was planted in 1989. The Hank Greenspan Entrance Plaza, Dvorsky Visitors’ Center and restaurant were built in 1990.HistoryThe first plot of land was purchased on Mount Scopus in 1926. Plans for the National Botanic Garden of Israel were drawn up by Alexander Eig, chairman of the Botany Department of the Hebrew University, based on the flora of the Land of Israel from Mount Lebanon to the desert. Planting began in 1931. The botanical gardens on Mount Scopus were the first home of the Biblical Zoo. In 1948, in the Israeli War of Independence, access to Mount Scopus and the university campus was cut off.after the isolation of Mount Scopus from Israel in 1948, decided to create a new Botanical Garden on the campus university in Givat Ram in western Jerusalem. The new Botanical Garden was opened in 1954, soon after the establishment of Givat Ram campus.When an alternative campus was built in Givat Ram in 1954, a new botanical garden was planted near the Jewish National and University Library, including a unique collection of Coniferae. In 1962, a rocky hill in the southeastern corner of the campus was planted with conifers from North America. That year, Michael Avishai was appointed scientific director of the gardens. Many of the trees were raised from his private seed collection.