Prague Botanical GardenTaking in the Svatá Klára winery, the outdoor gardens, and the tropical Fata Morgana greenhouse, Oliver White discovers a newfound respect for plant life in Troja
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I've never had much luck with plants. If they aren't causing me pain physically, then they just die before I can really get to know them. You'd think that flora is a pretty simple concept to wrap one's brain around -- as long as you don't shove them into a dark sauna they should be fine, right? Coming from Arizona, a land whose plants have forgotten the care of humans, vegetation (especially cacti) is a threat. Some of them actually try to kill you in an offensive way, like the Jumping Cholla (pronounced CHOY-ya) Cactus. If you brush by this one, big fat clumps of white terrible cacti stick to you while your friends laugh and you hallucinate from the poison. Okay, okay, there isn't any poison in it. (Or is there?) Any plants given to me as house-warming presents have had their lives cut sadly short due to neglect (I keep forgetting that I have a plant) and abuse (I starve them of water and love). None of this is intentional, of course, but I guess I'm still trying to find some maternal qualities that could maybe help with the care of plants. Therefore, when I thought about going to the Botanická zahrada in Troja last weekend, I was at first skeptical about the visit; what if these plants knew about my indiscretions back in Arizona? I would be on their turf, like a foreigner lost somewhere in Texas surrounded by unbelievable things, strange to the eyes and ears. (A 300-pound woman in a polka-dotted muumuu earnestly asking "Dya'll wanna stuff sum biskit?" for instance.) We decided to begin with a drink at the Svatá Klára winery, which offers a beautiful view of the Vltava, Stromovka park and Dejvice in the distance. We sampled a Modrý Portugal (bitter and disappointing) and the first rosé on the menu (very soft, light, and aromatic). The wine was plentiful and cheap and the winery itself has a cabin atmosphere and a fireplace. Around the corner from the winery, the Japanese garden was crowded but serene, and surprisingly lush for late November. The purple "heavy berry" plant was vibrant against the otherwise gray backdrop of sky. The Fata Morgana -- a bit of a hike from the Japanese garden -- is the star attraction. Looking like a huge ice hockey dome, the Fata Morgana houses three large rooms, containing succulent, mountainous, and lowland plants. (Tip: Don't bother taking photos in the Fata Morgana -- your lens will fog up immediately.) During our visit, in November, there was a lot of green, but some pretty colors and bizarre plants could also be spotted (like the carnivorous Nepenthes (lačkovky) plants that sit like a tall, purple-fleshed cup on a vine). I was, to be honest, a little unimpressed with the indoor gardens, but I realized that I'd overlooked the Botanical Garden's best feature. When cold, dreary, winter stunts our senses and make us shivering, cowering fools, it'll be possible to rejuvenate in the jungle of the Fata Morgana -- and to buy a cute-but-hateful little cactus for 20 CZK while you do it. Breathing in that rich, heavy air was so nice that I almost didn't want to leave, but the large number of push-prams and annoying snotty-faced kids eventually ushered up the desire to flee. Don't go at the weekend if you can help it. But go in any case, reconnect with nature, clear the sinuses, and get a cactus. HOW TO GET THERE From the Nádraží Holešovice metro station (line C), take the 112 bus to Botanická zahrada Troja. OPENING HOURS Outdoor Gardens April: Mon to Sun 09:00 - 18:00 May-September: Mon to Sun 09:00 - 19:00 October: Tue to Sun 09:00 - 17:00 November-March: 09:00 - 16:00 Fata Morgana April: Tue to Sun 09:00 - 18:00 May-September: Tue to Sun 09:00 - 19:00 October: Tue to Sun 09:00 - 17:00 November-March: 09:00 - 16:00 TICKET PRICES Fata Morgana + Outdoor Gardens Adults: 120 CZK Children Aged 6-15: 60 CZK Students (With ISIC Card): 60 CZK Teachers (With ITIC Card): 60 CZK Children Under 6: Free Family Ticket (Two Adults + Two Children): 320 CZK Fata Morgana Only Adults: 90 CZK Children Aged 6-15: 45 CZK Students (With ISIC Card): 45 CZK Teachers (With ITIC Card): 45 CZK Children Under 6: Free Family Ticket (Two Adults + Two Children): 250 CZK Outdoor Gardens Only Adults: 90 CZK Children Aged 6-15: 45 CZK Students (With ISIC Card): 45 CZK Teachers (With ITIC Card): 45 CZK Children Under 6: Free Family Ticket (Two Adults + Two Children): 250 CZK VENUE DETAILS Botanická zahrada hl. m. Prahy Nádvorní 134, Prague 7 Phone: (+420) 234 148 111 Fax: (+420) 233 542 629 Bus: Botanická zahrada Troja (112) Website: http://www.botanicka.cz/ Prague Directory Listing This article was written in November 2006. |
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