City walks with children should include places where the child can relax after a busy outing and spend time away from the busy streets. In Munich, such relaxation can be found in the Botanical Gardens. Take a quiet stroll along the green avenues and not only can you breathe in the fresh air, but you can also learn about the plants of the world.
The Munich Botanical Garden, next to Nymphenburg Palace, is called the New Botanical Garden because there is another, older botanical garden in the city (near the lively Karlstadt square in the city centre). The new garden was laid out in the early twentieth century. During this time, a remarkable collection of more than 15,000 plant species has been gathered in an area of 22 hectares. The entire exposition is divided into 16 sections, each representing the flora of different climatic zones.
Most of the plants are in the open air, but pavilions and greenhouses have been created for those that require special conditions. This means that the garden can be visited at any time of the year. In winter, when the trees are bare, orchids bloom fearlessly, giant cacti and ferns stretch upwards, oranges ripen and turtles and butterflies roam the thickets. A separate pavilion houses typical wetland plants. It's not easy to see them in the wild — but here you can see just how quirky wetland lovers can be.
But the Botanic Garden is at its most beautiful when it is in bloom. The beds are lined with daffodils, tulips, peonies and irises, and the scent of magnolias and rhododendrons fills the air.
The alpine rock gardens are modest but exquisite: white edelweiss with a fluffy centre, velvety violets, bright blue gentians. The rose garden is luxurious in summer, the rockery serene and noble all year round. And a corner that could be called a kitchen garden rather than a garden is very pretty: medicinal herbs, spices and vegetables grow here. Children are delighted to see a bed of dill or cucumbers among the ornamental plants, and even round pumpkins basking in the sun.
In general, even without reading the names on the information boards, it is pleasant to walk along the lanes looking at the plants, admiring the variety of shapes and colours, listening to the birdsong and the croaking of frogs in the pond.
Visitors will also be surprised by the sculptures in the garden, which were made by the Nymphenburg porcelain factory a long time ago. After a walk like this, it's nice to sit down at one of the cafes in the Botanical Gardens, enjoy a coffee or an ice-cream on the outdoor terrace and take in the beautiful views.
If you and the kids aren't tired after a stroll through the gardens, why not visit the Carriage Museum, the Porcelain Museum or the Museum of Nature and Man, all located in the grounds of Nymphenburg Palace.
