Botanical garden Sežana is located in the middle of Sežana. It is planted with plants from different parts of the world and Karst. Botanical garden is protected as a horticultural monument and one of the nature formed monument, which carefully address parts of the natural heritage, that have a particular scientific, aesthetic, cultural and historical value. Sežana Botanical garden is part of the Slovenian network of botanical gardens and arboreta and through this it connects with similar gardens around the world.

HISTORY

Birth of the park dates back to year 1848, when the Greek merchant family Scaramanga from Trieste bought the property in Sežana and on it built a villa Mirasasso (Admirer of stone). The first owner was Giovanni Scaramanga di Hiccolo Cavaliere, who was elevated among nobility by the Austrian emperor. After him, the garden was inherited by his daughter Mirto, after year 1927 her son Giovanni. Giovanni was dealing with economy and politics, in particular he was considered as a great collector of historical memories of Trieste. In his will he assigned a modest share of funds for Sežana garden and its inhabitants. With his influence and his connections during WWII he protected Sežana and its surroundings against the German arson.

Family Scaramanga managed the garden until nationalization in year 1948. Then the garden came under management of Agriculture-production cooperative and was open for the public. In year 1950, that time Ministry of Science and Culture issued a decision on the insurance of tree and flower garden. In year 1957, the owner of the park became city of Sežana.

ORGANIZATION OF THE GARDEN

The garden, today, covers an area of 1 ha. Originally, it was 1,5 ha, but in year 1949 it was split and reduced due to the construction of the railway line Sežana – Nova Gorica. Family Scaramanga regulated the park in second half of 19th century. It was evolved gradually, with careful and diligent planting of plants and seeds, which were brought by Scaramanga’s sailors on the ships from all over the world. The image and composition of the garden changed in time and place. The oldest part is most picturesque is the entrance part of the garden to conservatory. From the platform in front of the villa are central axes in arranged geometrical shape, full of Renaissance elements. There are paths, roundabouts, a pond, a pergola and a group of exotic trees. This part was planted with shrubs and trees from the subtropical and Mediterranean resorts. Most of them are still growing. In year 1890, they upgraded the garden with greenhouse, which is a smaller version of schönbruns’ greenhouse from Vienna. They used it for wintering of exotic and frost or bora sensitive plants, which were during the year arranged around the garden. This task is performed even today.

The second, larger part of the garden was more freely arranged. Among the trees was arranged dense network of the paths leading to pergolas and interesting views. The property continued from the garden into orchard with fruit trees from the south of Italy, into the vineyard of Greek and borgognian grapes. In this part was also arranged artificial cave, over which lifted one of the three lookout towers. The cave and lookout towers, and also some exotic trees were destroyed in the construction of the railways. In 1954, the park was enriched with rare plant species, which were brought from Vienna, San Remo and Brioni. Also small nursery was built, where they grow exotic plants for the restoration of the garden and also for sale. Nursery was abandoned in 20th century. So sometimes they say, that Sežana Botanical garden was made both by man and nature.

VEGETABLE COLLECTION

Vegetable collection contains 198 of woody species and more than 100 different species of exotic potted plants. In the park are woody plants from various parts of the world. Among most beautiful and precious trees in the garden are blue Lebanese cedar, blue Atlas cedar, Bommueller fir, flowered magnolia and white mulberry.

In front of the greenhouse, modelled after Austrian model, there is arranged box roundabout. Here we can find Balearic islands box from southern Spain and Balearic islands and it is true rarity in this part of Europe.

In lower, freely arrange part of the garden we find groups of exotic trees, maple avenue and grove of cedars, cypresses and false cypresses, yews in bushy and tree shape and unplanned grove of autogenous trees and bushes.

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Sežana
Sežana is a city in Slovenia and economic, transport, educational, cultural and medical center of Slovenian Karst. City is the the seat of municipality Sežana, admnistrative units and parishes Sežana. Together with its hinterland Sežana has about 14.000 inhabitants. [_Read more_]