{"id":2125,"date":"2013-01-27T09:00:41","date_gmt":"2013-01-27T14:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/?p=2125"},"modified":"2018-08-23T10:25:48","modified_gmt":"2018-08-23T14:25:48","slug":"historic-gardens-where-nature-meets-culture-can-be-urban-biodiversity-hotspots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/2013\/01\/27\/historic-gardens-where-nature-meets-culture-can-be-urban-biodiversity-hotspots\/","title":{"rendered":"Historic Gardens \u2013 Where Nature Meets Culture \u2013 Can be Urban Biodiversity Hotspots"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was lucky to be born in St. Petersburg, Russia, the city of museums and parks. \u00a0My first scientific passion was exactly historical imperial gardens. \u00a0Traditionally gardens have been seen as very special places, as paradises where people can enjoy sounds of water and birds, can rest their eyes on green grass and bright flowers and delight in the fragrance of roses. \u00a0At the same time gardens are places of botanic practices and symbolic narratives of philosophy, art and history. \u00a0Gardens are places where the Nature meets Art. \u00a0Today, historic gardens play a very unique role in urban environment and need to be managed thoughtfully, with principles in mind.<\/p>\n

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Peterhof Gardens in St. Petersburg, Russia. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Urbanisation and globalisation resulted in homogenisation of urban landscapes and the loss of the sense of place \u2013 \u201cgenius loci\u201d.\u00a0 Historical parks and gardens always play a very special role in urban landscapes because of their cultural and landscape values.\u00a0\u00a0 Especially when it concerns the most recognised monuments of park and garden art, which hold a status at the UNESCO World Heritage Sites<\/a>.\u00a0 At the moment the World Heritage List includes 962 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage.\u00a0 There are at least 20 sites which are historic parks and gardens.<\/p>\n

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Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing<\/a>, one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Summer Palace<\/a>, an Imperial Garden in Beijing, one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Versailles Park<\/a>, France. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Ilm Park<\/a> is part of the ensemble of ” Classical Weimar ” (UNESCO World Heritage List). Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Over the two decades heritage parks in Europe have been re-evaluated and have begun to be seen as highly valuable urban biodiversity hotspots. \u00a0Historical parks are not only witnesses of different historical art periods but also are refuges for rare flora and fauna.\u00a0 Very often they contain important fragments of natural landscapes.\u00a0 One of the classical examples of such a garden is Pavlovsky Park in St. Petersburg.\u00a0<\/a> The foundation of the park was a local mixed conifer-deciduous forest. \u00a0This particular park was created by thinning and cutting these natural plant communities<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Pavlovsky Park (600 hectares) in St. Petersburg. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Parks are also unique living examples of horticultural practices and skills from previous centuries. \u00a0In the era of unification and using material from \u201cglobal\u201d nurseries with genetically modified plants, historical parks contain unique genetic material that could help to preserve national and cultural identity. \u00a0One of the best examples of such practices can be found in the Swedish historic park of Gr\u00f6ns\u00f6\u00f6<\/a>. \u00a0Here the parental material for linden alleys is the old Tilia tree (Queen Christina’slinden<\/em>–<\/strong>tree)<\/em>,<\/em> which was planted here in 1623 during the visit to Gr\u00f6ns\u00f6\u00f6<\/em> of King Gustavus Adolphus’s mother.<\/p>\n

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Queen Christina’s linden-tree in Gr\u00f6ns\u00f6\u00f6<\/a>. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Linden alley in Gr\u00f6ns\u00f6\u00f6<\/a>. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the Garden of Villa Castello in Florence<\/a>, the research and practical enthusiasm of the chief gardener allowed to reconstruct the unique Medici collection of Citrus species. \u00a0He also discovered that inside the formal, very geometrical parterres many of local plants from surrounded forests, pastures and meadows were allowed to grow. \u00a0In the 16-17th<\/sup> centuries there were no grass lawns here. \u00a0Gardeners were very practical and sustainable.<\/p>\n

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Villa Castello<\/a> in Florence. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Parterre of Villa Castello<\/a> with native herbaceous species. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of the shrine and public gardens in Japanese cities are truly last remnants not only for some indigenous vegetation but also for sacred old trees. \u00a0Wildlife here has a refuge in densely built urban environments.<\/p>\n

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One of urban gardens in Nagoya, Japan. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I dedicated seven years of my research to studying historical and ecological aspects of 18 \u00a0historic parks and gardens of St. Petersburg (most of them are part of the UNESCO World Heritage system \u2014 Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and related Group of Monuments: Summer Garden<\/a>, Mikhailovsky Garden<\/a>, Peterhof gardens<\/a>, Pavlovsky Park<\/a>, Oranienbaum parks<\/a>, Tsarskoye Selo<\/a> etc.).\u00a0 This research emphasized biological diversity, the connection of certain design styles to different practices of management and maintenance and the value of these heritage parks for biological conservation.\u00a0 Studies were based on field observation, mapping of rare plants and different types of plant communities, archive and literature research and interviews of garden keepers and landscape architects involved in the process of garden restoration.<\/p>\n

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Case studies \u2013 St. Petersburg suburban historic parks and gardens.\u00a0Credit: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We created distribution maps for rare herbaceous species and spring ephemerals in St. Petersburg historical parks. \u00a0These maps were used during the garden restoration and management process as an important tool for biodiversity protection in historic parks.<\/p>\n

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Hepatica nobilis<\/em> is a protected plant in all St. Petersburg historic parks. Photo: Photo Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Summer Garden<\/a> in St. Petersburg is one of the biggest and the most expansive restoration projects (finished in May 2012). \u00a0It is also one of the most controversial projects. \u00a0The creators of the project decided to restore some of the garden elements, which were destroyed by the disastrous 1777 flood in St. Petersburg. \u00a0For example, the main fountains were reconstructed. \u00a0The formal hedges along alleys changed the \u201cusual\u201d appearance of the garden.<\/p>\n

Many citizens were not happy with the garden\u2019s new look. \u00a0However the designers gave a lot of emphasis to the biodiversity issues.\u00a0 Now all spring (vernal) plants such as Garea lutea, G. minima, G. granulosa, Anemone ranunculoides<\/em> and Ficaria verna<\/em> are well protected and all garden bosquets (groves) are fenced in by tall hedges.<\/p>\n

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New look of Summer Garden. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reconstruction of bosquets was accompanied by planting numerous species of native and exotic shrubs (Viburnum, Berberis, Lonicera) which attract wildlife (including many birds).<\/p>\n

Nesting boxes were attached on tree trunks. \u00a0Historical plant material \u2014 indigenous Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em> which is resistant to cold St. Petersburg winters \u2014 has been planted in broderie parterres.\u00a0 Our case studies of St. Petersburg parks provide an example of how floristic and vegetation analyses<\/a> can help identify historical and post restoration pathways of succession in plant communities.<\/p>\n

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Summer Garden before restoration. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Research of past park management and maintenance can give navigation for sustainable design practices in modern green areas. \u00a0One of the aims of this study in St. Petersburg was to propose guidelines for garden restoration that could be used in maintaining, protecting and reinforcing particularly valuable biodiversity components of park\u2019s ecosystems (plants, insects and birds). \u00a0While modern urban design implements a simplified version of the British Picturesque-Gardenesque<\/a> landscape architecture principles in all cultures around the world (which generally ignore climatic and cultural differences), our study shows that historical parks can be good demonstration sites for keeping regional identity and biodiversity in highly urbanised environments.<\/p>\n

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Summer Garden after restoration, which in part serves to protect the trees. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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New planting in one of the bosquests (groves) in Summer Garden. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Vaccinium vitis-idaea<\/em>\u00a0with the author in the Summer Garden, planting of 2011. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I particularly remember a wonderful morning in Boboli Gardens<\/a> in Florence where we watched heron in the Isolotto Pond. \u00a0Later we discovered that Boboli Gardens has a special wildlife protection policy. \u00a0We bought several popular brochures on \u201cThe Birds of the Boboli Gardens\u201d and even \u201cThe mollusks of the Boboli Gardens\u201d. \u00a0This Garden, designed in the mid-sixteen century, is one of largest parks in Florence and has incredible diversity of wild fauna.<\/p>\n

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Boboli Gardens<\/a>, Florence. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Heron in Boboli Gardens. Photo: Maria Ignatieva<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These positive examples show the pathway of how historic gardens \u2014 oases of culture and nature \u2014 can be true hotspots for urban biodiversity.<\/p>\n

Based on our experience of working in St. Petersburg historic parks and gardens we can recommend the following guideline for preserving biodiversity in historic gardens:<\/p>\n

    \n
      \n
    • Inventory and analyze existing plant communities and wildlife.<\/li>\n
    • Map rare (for garden and parks) and endangered species.<\/li>\n
    • Educate the park\u2019s administration and mangers about biodiversity peculiarities and the benefits of maintaining biodiversity for park\u2019s ecological and cultural identity.<\/li>\n
    • Protect biodiversity during any park reconstruction or restoration to be sure that rare species and plant communities are preserved and not destroyed or damaged.<\/li>\n
    • Be sure that distribution maps of important plants and plantings are available for the authors of design projects and contractors who are responsible for restoration works.<\/li>\n
    • Write education brochures for the public\u00a0on different aspects of biodiversity in parks.<\/li>\n
    • Organize special routes through the park that highlight the park\u2019s biodiversity.<\/li>\n
    • Biodiversity should be part of the display in parks similar to museum and sculpture collections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      Maria Ignatieva
      \nUppsala, Sweden<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      I was lucky to be born in St. Petersburg, Russia, the city of museums and parks. \u00a0My first scientific passion was exactly historical imperial gardens. \u00a0Traditionally gardens have been seen as very special places, as paradises where people can enjoy sounds of water and birds, can rest their eyes on green grass and bright flowers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":6929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[273,938,299],"tags":[40,44,401,28,38,66],"coauthors":[155],"class_list":["post-2125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-essay","category-europe","category-essay-place-and-design","tag-architecture","tag-art","tag-biodiversity","tag-design","tag-gardens","tag-parks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2125\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2125"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=2125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}