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In July and August you can visit the Hortus and get a guided tour through the gardens and greenhouses. This year special attention is paid to edible plants. The tours are in English and in Dutch. The English tours start at 16:00.
Dates: July 5, 12, 19 and 26, August 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30
Costs: € 1,50 plus entrance fee
The exhibition ‘Plant-eater’ introduces the visitor to edible plants in the Hortus collection. Stroll through the Hortus and discover the stories around a number of well-known and less well-known food crops. You will learn about their origins and use, and all kinds of fascinating facts. There is a special route for children (age 8-12 years) within the exhibition. It will be interesting for anyone who is keen on plants, cooking and botanical history. You can visit this exhibition from 20 April to 7 October 2018.
On 21st May there will be two performances of Brassband Fusion Brightion in the Hortus botanicus Leiden. The performances will take place from 12.30 to 13.00 and from 13.30 - 14.00. If you come for peace and quiet we advise you to come in the morning or late afternoon.
As soon as you see a daffodil you know one thing for certain: spring is just around the corner. From 15 March to 30 April 2018 the Hortus botanicus Leiden will be placing this flower and its relatives in the spotlight in a small exhibition: not be missed if you want to put a spring in your step. Especially for you the Hortus gardeners will be planting 25 wheelbarrows with different daffodils in each one. You can experience the sight and the fragrance of these flowers up close. We have also planted lots of daffodils in other parts of the garden.
Read moreThe Hortus botanicus Leiden will be closed on 18 January 2018 due to heavy storm. The gardens and tropical glasshouses will be closed for the public. If you decide to come anyway, the café and shop will be open until 4 p.m.
Read moreThe Hortus botanicus Leiden will be closed on 3 January 2018 due to heavy storm. The gardens and tropical glasshouses will be closed for the public. If you decide to come anyway, the café and shop will be open until 4 p.m.
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Grand Café Clusius will be closed on Tuesday 14 and Wednesday 15 November due to technical activities in the restaurant. We would advise you to reserve for lunch in the nearby cafés around the Hortus like Pakhuis, Barrera, De Vrind or Babbels.
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A new plant species was named after Paul Kessler, prefect of the Leiden Hortus botanicus. Kessler discovered the small tree, which is related to the kiwifruit, himself.
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A high-ranking delegation from China visited Leiden on 6 November. The party of some 25 Chinese officials from the CPPCC – a Chinese advisory body comparable with the Dutch Senate - visited the Leiden Observatory, the Hortus botanicus and the Asian Library.
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From 1 November 2017 – 31 March 2018 the Hortus is open on Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00-16.00 (closed on Mondays).
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BigPicnic brings together the public, scientists, policy-makers and industry to help tackle the global challenge of food security. Botanic gardens, with help from other Partners, are co-creating exhibitions and participatory events with people from all walks of life, to generate dialogue and build greater understanding of food security.
Deep in the Amazonian rainforest grew a solitary tree. From its bark flowed a milky white sap that changed the world: rubber. It was Sir Henry Alexander Wickham (1846-1928) who was commissioned by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew to smuggle seeds from the rubber-bearing tree out of Brazil and bring them to London. From Kew Gardens seedlings were dispatched to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Malaya (Malaysia) thus bringing an end to the Brazilian monopoly on rubber production. During this lecture author and explorer Redmond O’Hanlon will talk about the treacherous journey Henry Wickham undertook to obtain rubber seeds of the Hevea brasiliensis.
Location:
Lipsius building
Zaal 019
Cleveringaplaats 1
Leiden
Time: 19.30 – 20.30
Access: free
Redmond O’Hanlon is British author, explorer and documentary maker
Following this presentation another presentation will be given in Dutch about crownjewels in the beginning years of botany as science.
