Lad thinks he's Geoff Hamilton (Powsin Botanical Gardens Center for Biological Diversity Conservation)

Member Name: dangaroo

Product:	Powsin Botanical Gardens Center for Biological Diversity Conservation
Date:	02/06/09 (21 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap and cheerful, easily accesible

Disadvantages: Bit far out

Another gem in the southern end of Warsaw is the Powsin Botanical Gardens, rarely visited by tourists - this out of the way destination is worth a bit of time.

Whilst not a must see sightseeing option in the city, Powsin Botanical Gardens is cheap and cheerful - last time I was there, the entrance fee was 4zl (£0.80) but this may have now upped to 5zl. Easily accessible by bus either directly from Wilanow Palace (it would make sense to visit this in the morning and then the botanical gardens in the afternoon) or by bus 139 from Metro Wilanowska, if you like gardens then there's no reason not to go there.

Walk up a slight hill through a wood from the bus stop and you will find yourself in a small park complex, complete with a popular cheap snack bar frequented by visitors to the botanical gardens and the odd alkie who has woken up at the last stop (this is the terminus of a rarely inspected bus line), food is not amazing but the portions are generous and the prices are cheap. They serve up beer too.

Powsin Botanical Gardens was set up in 1974 for the country's highest level Biology Students to monitor, learn and collect information on the country's flora. Whilst not enormous, it's definitely not small and would take an hour or so to fully appreciate, longer if you know anything about plants. Designed on flat territory, a recent development is a hilly rock garden that represents Poland's mountain plants.

Extremely brightly coloured, I have to say it's quite well co-ordinated and even Carol Smiley would be proud. Relatively peaceful, this doesn't gather a huge attendance which makes it feel a bit more personal, plantwise I preferred the Botanical Gardens in Cluj, Romania but they were busy where as this is almost like your own garden due to the lack of visitors.

Summary: Horticultural fun in Poland's capital