Trompenburg Garden & Arboretum in Kralingen will open its doors this Saturday despite the restrictions, pleading for the reopening of all botanical gardens.
With this opening day, the historic botanical garden Trompenburg wants to convey a message to the government and show that botanical gardens, just like petting zoos, playgrounds and outdoor sports locations, can also be opened safely and responsibly.
Trompenburg, like every park and forest, is an outdoor space. Everyone is welcome and should be able to enjoy nature. The government advises to exercise enough and go outside to stay healthy, which is possible at Trompenburg.
At the moment, Trompenburg is primarily seen as a transit location. This while the botanical garden receives no subsidy and is completely dependent on income from entrance fees, the shop and the catering section to keep the garden going.
Reopening with a Scavenger hunt
This Saturday, Trompenburg opens from 10:00 to 16:00. Visitors can go on a scavenger hunt, tailored to their age. This is a nod to playgrounds and petting zoos, which have been open during lockdowns because they are exempt under national legislation. The same applies to Estates under the 1928 Natural Heritage Act, which Trompenburg also falls under.
On Saturday, Trompenburg uses its Covid protocol, making an online reservation of a time slot mandatory. It’s almost impossible to walk more safely! In the catering section, there is only take away food and the shop is open with a maximum number of customers and compulsory wearing of a mouth mask. The board of the Dutch Botanical Gardens Association supports the action and possibly more Botanical Gardens will open their doors this Saturday. Some municipalities have already allowed the opening of several botanical gardens.
History of the garden
Trompenburg Gardens & Arboretum is a beautiful botanical garden with a large collection of trees, shrubs, perennials, bulbs and tubers. The garden covers 8 hectares. It’s located in the Kralingen district of Rotterdam, on the edge of the city centre. The garden is open to visitors every season. The first construction took place about 200 years ago. Trompenburg is of great value in the area of biodiversity and natural history.
