Greenhouse Complex, Central Botanical Garden of Belarus

Within the Central Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, one of the largest in Europe, an octagonal exhibition greenhouse complex was completed in 2006 and opened to the public the following year. Covering about 1,200 square meters, the building is divided into several climate zones: a central rainforest arranged around a water garden, a section of succulents native to the deserts of Africa and America, and a subtropical space where oleanders, agaves and citrus trees grow side by side. At its opening, the greenhouse held about 300 species, drawn partly from the garden's reserve collections — which number more than 2,000 — and partly acquired from Dutch and German nurseries. Set beside an avenue of maples, it stands as one of the most recent additions to Eastern Europe's greenhouse heritage. The garden has continued to expand its collection since, with regular new acquisitions.