Urmas Kõljalg and Jüri Sild present the most exciting treasures of the botanical garden's outdoor exhibition

June is a month of celebration for the University of Tartu Botanical Garden, with several events dedicated to the 220th anniversary. There will also be a chance to take part in guided tours personally conducted by the Head of the Botanical Garden and the Director of the Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden. 

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The University of Tartu Botanical Garden was founded 220 years ago, in 1803. For more than two centuries, scientists, curators and gardeners have created a repository of plants whose beauty and diversity can be enjoyed and explored by visitors, students and researchers. Each new generation contributes to the preservation and further development of this repository. 

The 220th anniversary of Estonia's oldest and most species-rich botanical garden will be celebrated in June with the Nature Festival, dedicated to the gardens' biodiversity, and with events at the end of the month. During the five days of the Nature Festival, there will be a series of workshops, concerts, excursions and activities for the whole family. This will include two exciting guided tours led by the Head of the Botanical Garden and the Director of the Natural Museum and Botanical Garden. 

On the opening day of the festival and the botanical garden's festivities, 7 June at 2 pm, the tour will be led by Jüri Sild, the Head of the University of Tartu Botanical Garden. "We'll talk a bit about the history and go through the more interesting parts of the plant collection, as well as the newer parts of the outdoor exhibition," said Jüri Sild. "We've got a very nice section of Estonian plants and a moss garden - on tour; I'll also talk about how they came to be." 

On Thursday, 8 June, at 2 pm, Urmas Kõljalg, Director of the University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden, will lead a tour of the Botanical Garden. "The University of Tartu Botanical Garden is diverse and exceptionally species-rich. Here, visitors can walk through different parts of the world in a short time, as well as through a wide variety of Estonian natural communities. Visitors who thirst for knowledge can learn about plant species and their conservation," said Kõljalg. "The Botanical Garden is historically linked to the teaching and research work of the university, but equally important is the preservation of the plant world's species diversity and its introduction to the public," he added. During the tour, visitors can hear recollections of fieldwork and see specimens brought from the Far East. 

Participation in both tours is free of charge. The Botanical Garden's 220th anniversary will be celebrated with a month of festivities. The Nature Festival takes place from 7 to 11 June all over Estonia. The programme is available on the festival's website. 

The Nature Festival will take place from 7 to 11 June across Estonia. The festival invites people to appreciate the diversity of urban nature as a living environment, to notice nature in the city and promote behaviours promoting biodiversity. The University of Tartu Natural History Museum and Botanical Garden and its partners organise the festival. The Nature Festival is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 programme. The Environmental Investment Centre and Tartu 2024 support the festival. 

The organiser may take pictures, videos and audio recordings of the event, share them with participants and public media, and use them to market similar events.