A.G Leventis Botanical Garden

The A.G Leventis Botanical Garden is located in the Troodos National Park and is part of the Natura 2000 network. It is at an altitude of 1400 metres before the main road of Karvounas – Troodos within the boundaries of the Asbestos mine. It is part of the Nation Botanical Gardens Association. The A.G Leventis Botanical Garden is one of the three botanical gardens which the forest department has installed. The other two botanical gardens are located at Athalassa and at the Baths of Aphrodite.

The creation of the botanical garden began by the forest department in 2004 and are being continued, enriching the garden with new species of flora, as well as new departments and services. Today, the garden has about 250 types of plants, but in the future this number is expected to exceed 500 species. A visitor can come in contact with common as well as rare specifies of the Cypriot flora.

Aim of the garden

The creation of this particular botanical garden is aimed at the protection, conservation, and presentation of the botanical inheritance of Cyprus, with an emphasis on the flora in the Troodos area. It also operates as a research area, an education centre, a recreation centre as well as a means of restoration of an important part of the Asbestos mine.

The sections of the garden:

Visitor centre and Herbarium

Endemic plant section

Department of riparian vegetation with Lake

Department of aromatic and traditional garden plants

Outdoor education centre

Viewpoint with telescope

Restrooms

Parkings

Department of traditional agricultural plants

Sections of the garden which will soon be created:

Department of conservation threatened plants

Germplasm conservation bank

Visitor Centre

The visitor centre is equipped with experienced personnel in order to inform, educate and provide service to the public. The flora of the Troodos area is presented though a variety of exhibitions, along with the use of technology. The Herbarium of the Centre gives visitors the opportunity to study a large variety of dried plant specimens while the library offers researchers and students the ability to learn about flora subjects in depth. There is also a small souvenir shop with souvenir items and specialised books, while in the main exhibit areas there is electronic as well as printed material. In addition there is a projection room where the special film about the flora of the Troodos mountain range is projected. Some of the subjects which are presented in the centre are the following:

Map of the garden

Visitor Centre

Mine history though photographic material

Mine restoration though photographic material

Illustration of vertical distribution of vegetation in the Troodos mountain range

Films for selected plant species of the Troodos mountain range

Electronic database for the types of flora in Cyprus

Electronic presentation with the seasonal changes of vegetation

Threats towards flora

Fires

Plants with the Troodos name

Woody plants (articles, photographs)