The Botanical Garden is located in the south eastern corner of the university campus, roughly 3 kilometres north of the Tromsø town centre. Sloping downwards towards the east and the Tromsø Sound, the area has a view of the mountains in the east and in the south. The Botanical Garden is situated upon the grounds of an old farm called Breivika Søndre. The previous owner of the farm was a teacher named Hansine Hansen (d. 1947). Upon her death, she bequeathed the property to the Troms County for educational purposes. The farmhouses were gone when the university took over the area, in conjunction with the establishment. However, remaining tufts of grass from the foundation and garden were still visible in the lower part of the property. The Botanical Garden is situated around Hansine Hansen's courtyard, which is located next to the main entrance of the garden. Winding gravel paths and cultivation of the natural terrain help divide the garden into different plant collections. A pond is located in the centre of the garden, and an amphitheatre is situated adjacent to it.

A row of mounds line the southern end of the property. These create a boundary from the highly trafficked streets and provide shelter for the garden. Here one can find a collection of bushes and trees. These demonstrate what types of vegetation can be used for screen/shelter/wind breaking in Northern Norway. The largest part of the garden is constructed after organic principles, with winding paths and curves in the terrain. While for example, the spice and crop gardens are constructed after formal principles, with geometrically patterned paths and beds.

For more information, refer to the Botanical Garden's Homepage.

1980-2004

Multikonsult AS Seksjon 13.3 Landskapsarkitekter

Bjarne Aasen

University of Tromsø

Botanical garden

Soil

stone

plants

botanical garden