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Hortus botanicus Haren-Groningen
It is one of the oldest and largest botanical gardens in the Netherlands. At the Hortus, which covers about 15 acres, there are a large number of very different gardens.
In addition to the various (botanical ) gardens, the Hortus also includes an authentic Chinese Ming garden with an authentic Chinese tea house. This garden, which has a different design than western gardens, is a gift from the city of Shanghai to the City and County of Groningen.
The Hortus was part of the University of Groningen (RUG) and until the 1980s’ played an important role in the teaching and research of Biology especially Plant Systematics. A national division of labor between universities and developments in science led to the minimization of the Hortus’ role within the RUG. Since 2002, the Stichting Behoud Groene Hortus (SBGH) has acted as custodian of the heritage of the RUG. As of 2012, the Hortus stands on its own feet financially.
In 1986, a Groningen trade mission visited several cities in China. While visiting a restaurant near the Long Hua temple in Shanghai, one of the members of the mission said that “they should have something like this in Groningen, too. And so it happened. Master Le Wei Zong, Shanghai’s famous urban garden architect, created the first designs during a visit to the Hortus. Shanghai provided construction materials and the Netherlands provided the necessary funds.
Almost all the material used to build the Chinese garden was shipped from China to the Netherlands, from the stones in the garden and the wood of the pavilions to the furniture of the Moaning of the Dragon Tea House. For seven months, dozens of Chinese workers laid out the park largely by hand, because “What you make by hand, you can put your soul into. The result of this cooperation between the Netherlands and Shanghai is the beautiful Chinese garden The Hidden Kingdom of Ming, which was officially opened by H.M. Queen Beatrix on April 12, 1995.