Botanical, << buh TAN uh kuhl, >> garden is a garden in which plants are grown chiefly for scientific, educational, and artistic purposes. Botanical gardens usually are part of an institution or other center of learning devoted to the study of plants. They often have courses for adults on the uses of plants. In some gardens, children may learn about plants from skilled teachers.
There are various types of botanical gardens in the United States. For example, the New York Botanical Garden in New York City and the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis have year-round displays of plants from many parts of the world. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden specializes in publishing horticultural information. Other gardens feature native local plants.
Canada has several noted botanical gardens. One at Hamilton, Ontario, near McMaster University, has a spectacular rock garden and a separate 25-acre (10-hectare) garden for children. Others include the beautiful Butchart Gardens near Victoria, British Columbia, and the Montreal Botanical Gardens in Montreal, Quebec.
Famous gardens in other countries include the Jardin des Plantes in Paris and the United Kingdom’s Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England. The rubber industry originated in part from studies made at Kew Gardens (see Rubber (The first plantations) ).
