In the north-eastern shore of Lake Onega, in the suburbs of the capital of Karelia is located a beautiful botanical garden. In clear weather the steep bank, you can see the entire city of Petrozavodsk at a glance. The road there goes through an unusual church of Presentation of the Lord, standing on a rock on the diorite Lomgozёrskogo Strait.

The Botanical Garden is located in one of the most popular among the residents of the capital of Karelia - the tract "Devil's Chair" and covers an area of ​​over 360 hectares. The name of the tract was a result of active volcanic processes that have occurred over 2 billion. Years ago and earthquakes in postglacial period. One of the stone as a result of displacement of the earth's crust shifted and formed kreslopodobnuyu niche.

Post glacial period, was accompanied by a change in climate and vegetation tract. In the first stage we grow here - birch, shrubs, steppe sagebrush, perennial grasses, small trees and goosefoot family Lycopodiaceae. Thereby forming a unique combination of features of different natural zones. At the time, Big Vaara was surrounded with lake water.

In the Atlantic during the post-glacial terrain shape formed broadleaf tree species: maple, elm, linden and even oak. However, the subsequent cooling of the climate led to some adjustments and now vegetation here includes a wide range of phytocenoses (communities) as a rare and typical for Karelia.

The tract "Devil's chair" in 1987 received the status of the state geological nature monument. The reserve is often practiced by students of Karelian State Pedagogical University, Petrozavodsk State University and other universities in Russia and Europe. Just reserve is a favorite vacation spot of tourists and residents of Petrozavodsk.

One-third of the area of ​​the Botanical Garden takes natural natural forest, the rest is divided into several areas: economic, administrative and expositional. As the garden is composed of zones separated by the type of vegetation: fruit and berry garden, arboretum, ornamental and medicinal plants.

Collection of the Botanical Garden was founded in the difficult post-war period. The idea of ​​creating a botanical garden has appeared in June 1944, after returning from evacuation Petrazavodskogo University Botanical Profile of the Department before the question was raised about the need to base for research work and summer educational practices. In early 1951, it was decided to allocate a plot of 14 hectares on the shores of Lake Onega. At the same time it approved the structure of the garden. In a short time it has created an extensive collection of economically valuable, decorative, suitable for cultivation of trees. In 1994, the Botanical Garden has been expanded to 367 hectares.

The main sources for the collection of the Botanical Garden is - charges in the nature of specialized expeditions and exchange. The trees planted here, as in many botanical gardens, for ecological and geographical basis. The collection includes exotic species from North America, including western arborvitae, spruce, barbed, balsam fir. The Asian region is of Manchurian walnut, birch Herman, bird cherry Maak, willow Iverina, Siberian fir, larch, and other species of barberry. All the trees are perfectly accustomed to the botanical garden, fruit and breed. In general, do not give the impression that the garden contains a collection, all the trees are very harmoniously with each other.

Access to limited exposure and explore all the delights of the botanical garden can be in the presence of experts on the tour.