Top 10 Amazing Facts about National Botanical Garden, Mirpur

This is a photo of a natural heritage site in Bangladesh identified by the ID: By Asma Ul Husna khan – Wikipedia

Top 10 Amazing Facts about National Botanical Garden, Mirpur

A botanical garden is a place where plants, especially ferns, conifers, and flowering plants, are grown and displayed for research and education. This distinguishes them from parks and pleasure gardens where plants, usually with beautiful flowers, are grown for public amenity.

The garden was established on 208 acres of land at Mirpur in 1961. It is divided into 57 sections and managed by the Forest Department under the Environment and Forest Ministry. The President of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, expressed his intention that the country’s sole plantation garden in the independent country, the National Tree Garden, in its fullest sense, have a full botanical garden status.

It has a  modern vegetative propagation arrangement and a tissue culture laboratory established in the garden for the propagation of rare species. Initially, tissue culture of orchids and other rare species has been adopted. Besides, a huge rose garden, crisscrossing a lake, watch deck, artificial waterfall, bridge over the lake, and above all the thousands of migratory birds in winter are the main attractions of the National Botanic Garden

This article details some of the top 10 amazing facts that you should consider knowing about the National Botanical Garden in Mirpur. They include the following;

1. The garden has 56,125 species of trees, herbs, shrubs, and a collection of aquatic plants

There is a cactus house, lily pond, Amazon lily pond, six lakes, a tissue culture research Centre, two nurseries, an orchid house, two net houses, five shadow rooms, nine visitor’s sheds, three snake corners, eight toilets, two watchtowers, one artificial lake, and Padma pond.

2. It is beside the Dhaka Zoo

 The National Botanical Garden is located at Mirpur-2 in Dhaka,1100, which is beside the Dhaka Zoo. The zoo contains many native and non-native animals and wildlife and hosts about three million visitors each year. The name of the zoo was changed on 5 February 2015 from Dhaka Zoo to Bangladesh National Zoo. It attracts around 10,000 visitors every day with the number increasing during the weekends and holidays.

3. There is modern vegetative propagation and a tissue culture laboratory for rare species

A modern vegetative propagation arrangement and a tissue culture laboratory have been established in the garden for the propagation of rare species. Initially, tissue culture of orchids and other rare species has been adopted.

In 1973, a branch called the International Area was created with a plantation of different species of plants in the plant garden. This section is comprised of Silver Oak, Jacaranda and Tabe Buoya of Australia, Camphor of Japan, Well Palm of Malaysia, and Rambutan in Thailand.

4. It is a tourist attraction

Butterfly at Botanic Garden, By Saikattanu – Own 

work, Wikipedia Besides, a huge rose garden, crisscrossing a lake, watch deck, artificial waterfall, bridge over the lake, and above all the thousands of migratory birds in winter are the main attractions of the National Botanic Garden. Every morning many people come here for their morning walk, exercise, yoga, and meditation session.

5. It is managed by the Forest Department

The Forest Department under the Ministry of Environment and Forests Government of Bangladesh manages the National Botanical Garden. The garden is divided into 57 sections. It also provides learning and recreational facilities adjacent to the Dhaka Zoo.

6. It is a knowledge Centre for nature lovers and botanists

Cactus house, Wikipedia

A botanical garden is a garden dedicated to the collection, cultivation, preservation, and display of an especially wide range of plants, which are typically labeled with their botanical names. It may contain specialist plant collections such as cacti and other succulent plants, herb gardens, and plants from particular parts of the world. There may also be greenhouses, and shade houses, again with special collections such as tropical plants, alpine plants, or other exotic plants. Most are at least partly open to the public and may offer guided tours, educational displays, art exhibitions, book rooms, open-air theatrical and musical performances, and other entertainment.

7. Its herbarium has a scientific collection

The herbarium has a scientific collection of approximately 100,000 preserved specimens of plants. The herbarium is a collection of preserved plant specimens that are associated with data to be used for scientific study.

The specimens may be whole plants or plant parts; these will usually be in dried form mounted on a sheet of paper but, depending upon the material, they may also be stored in boxes or kept in alcohol or another preservative. The specimens in a herbarium are often used as reference material in describing plant taxa; some specimens may be types.

8. Baldha Garden is administratively part of the National Garden

Baldur Garden which is in the Wari area of Dhaka is administratively part of the National Garden. It is located in the old part of the city of Dhaka. It is a botanical garden that spans 3.15 acres. It has a collection of 672 species of plants. The Buddha Garden is now managed as a satellite unit of the National Botanical Garden by the Department of Forestry.

9. It has a greenhouse and Net House

Cactus house, Wikipedia

 The cactus and succulents of 80 species are preserved in the cactus greenhouse in the park. The Green House was built in 1994. Various species of cactus include Oldman, Phishak Cactus, Mamoraria, Kapsaliya, Melo Cactus, Golden Barrel, Syringe Hexogenens, Roth Tail, Apangassia Siddum, Hautarthia, Piccottia, etc. Most cactus have been collected from Mexico. In Orchid Green House, there are 85 species of orchids stored in local and foreign countries. The shadows are preserved in the net house. There are about 100 species of shadows in this house.

10. There is a nursery

This photograph was taken in the National Botanical Garden Of Bangladesh, By Kawsar Ahammad – Wikimedia

 There is a nursery around 5 acres of plant garden. Plants of flowers, fruits, creepers, shrubs, etc. are cultivated in this nursery. Saplings can be bought from this nursery at a government-fixed price. Collection of other plants: Other gardens include Ashok, Bawab, Tasbih tree, Fern Karei, Tunn, Keshia Narsa, Cherry Tree, Mahua, Krishnachura, Kamini, Nagasvara, Behera, White Chandan, Magnolia, Guillermina, Kumbi, Amalaki, Barbara, Anthurium.