The Marvel of Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Crimea

We were fortunate to visit the Nikitsky Botanical Garden near Yalta in spring. The wisterias were in bloom, and as someone who grew up in the Urals, I had never seen this natural wonder before. The incredible sight of vibrant vines reaching up to the roof of the administrative building simply captivated me.

Spring is the time for Japanese cherry blossoms to bloom. It’s like a pink cloud of tenderness; I can’t describe it any other way.

The garden first amazed me with its majestic giants: cypresses, sequoias, cedars… Plaques display the age of these trees, many of which were planted in the 1840s and 1850s. The cypress avenue appeared in the park in 1880…

Notice how the garden combines both natural and manicured forms; the hand of a gardener is clearly at work here. However, surprisingly, we didn’t come across any areas closed for maintenance. Everything is well-tended and beautiful, as if touched by a magical wand, without human intervention.

In botanical gardens with a history, I love how architectural structures blend into the landscape. For example, this colonnade of the summer lecture hall, built in 1912 to commemorate the park’s 100th anniversary.

And the peonies in the park are just breathtaking…

Spring is the time for the abundant blooming of tulips, which is traditionally showcased in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden every year. It’s impossible to take your eyes off the luxurious collections of tulips, all against the backdrop of mountains and the sea.

Nikitsky Botanical Garden is undoubtedly a favorite for its vast array of unique subtropical plants gathered from all over the world. During one visit, you can only get a glimpse of this marvel and be infected with the desire to be there again and again.