Botanisk

It was a brisk fall day in Copenhagen when I discovered the Botanisk Have – the Botanical Gardens. A cold wind was blowing in off the ocean, promising a fast approaching winter. I had spent the day meandering the streets and markets in a thick jacket, and if I’m being honest, feeling lost. Not in a literal sense – I’d navigated the city fine over my last two days here. But I was listless, restless. I’d been traveling solo for over a month, and had just left the warmth and community of the farm where I was volunteering. I was utterly alone.

The gardens rose out of the asphalt and traffic of the city streets, an autumnal haven in the midst of the chaos. The evening sun was blinding as it reflected off the buildings. I squeezed through the gate, wandering past ponds and trees with yellowing leaves. For the first time in days, I took a deep breath.

The entrance to the greenhouses was tucked away behind the paths and the trees. It was tantalizing – a reprieve from the cold breeze that cut through my clothes. It offered a hidden world. I took a last glance at the cars and buildings and ducked inside.

Inside is warm and quiet. There is the faint hum of fans and the soft trickle of water falling into pools. The glass arches overhead, letting in the quivering November light in fitful spurts. I wander through the glass houses. There are over 25 of them, built in 1874. The history of Copenhagen’s botanical gardens is long and noble, starting in 1600. The gardens were originally created on land donated by the king to study Danish medicinal plants and preserve rare exotic species. When the gardens reached their modern location in the 1870s, they were built in the image of London’s Crystal Palace, and included the two-story Palm House.

Plants of all sorts, including native Danish species and exotic ones from around the world, create a maze through the greenhouses. Towering palms and other tropical plants thrive in the Palm House, the 16 meter (52 foot tall) glass building at the heart of the gardens. The Palm House creates a tropical and sub-tropical environment even in Copenhagen’s cold, dark winters. Some plants inside are over 100 years old.

The two story Palm House is complete with beautiful Victorian architecture, inviting visitors to travel towards the sun with the reaching trees. A spiral staircase winds towards the sky, towards the glass ceiling where a burst of afternoon sunlight pours in. The sunlight filters through the canopy, down into the dusky floor of the man-made jungle. Curious, I climb.

“What do you see?” a greenhouse visitor asks me. I’ve been hunched over, meticulously photographing a single leaf for at least ten minutes. I try to explain to him the way the light hits the leaf, the way it presses against the window pane and sends refractions of color against the steamy glass. He mumbles something like “oh” and leaves. I’ve disappointed him. I keep taking pictures.

The tropical flower Heliconia hides its flowers with large “bracts,” allowing only specialized birds and butterflies to harvest its nectar.

The tamarillo, or ‘tree tomato,’ is an edible native to South America which is enjoyed worldwide. 

A man in a security uniform interrupts my trance. “The greenhouses close in five minutes.” His voice sounds strange in the forest. I stand for a minute longer, looking up into the treetops. When I open the door, the cold hits me in the gut.

Outside the sun is hidden behind a glowing cloud, occasionally sending blazing rays of rose gold onto the buildings. I stand still, breathing in the crisp air, the change of the seasons. Reluctantly, I follow the crowd down the steps, back through the grassy gardens, and into the chaos. This time, my mind stays quiet – at least for a moment. ○

Copenhagen Natural History Museum

History of the Copenhagen Botanical Garden

Heliconia Flower Information *

Tamarillo Information *

* Heliconia and Tamarillo plants identified using Google Lens image search.