Registration by e-mail edukacija@bs.vu.lt or phone +37067317602.
Educational services are provided to visitors who have purchased a visitor ticket. Children under 7 years old do not need a ticket.
EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN NATURE
THE GARDEN’S MOST BEAUTIFUL BLOOMS AND THEIR SECRETS
In this session, you will discover and admire the variety and colors of herbaceous and woody plant blossoms within the VU Botanical Garden collections. You will learn about different types of inflorescences and why some plants bloom while others do not. Discover which plants have a pleasant fragrance and which ones you wouldn't want to smell twice! You will see some of the oldest flowering plants, such as the tulip tree and magnolia. You will also learn how, where, and when one might find the legendary "fern flower," observe pollinators, and see which blossoms turn into cones.
LEARNING TO IDENTIFY PLANTS: LEAVES, FLOWERS, FRUITS
Equipped with Garden maps and specific tasks, you will explore plant leaves, flowers, and fruits. By observing, smelling, and tasting, you will try to identify the plants and note similarities and differences among various species. You will also discover the practical ways different plant parts are used in daily life.
NATURE’S MESSAGE TO US: SAND COLLAGES
Take a journey through the Botanical Garden to find interesting natural treasures: seeds, leaves, and flowers. You will study your finds, learn about their significance in nature, and their applications in everyday life. At the end of the session, everyone will create a unique collage in the sand using the treasures they have gathered.
PLANT HUNT: ORIENTEERING GAME
After a brief introductory tour, the group will split into teams for an orienteering game. Armed with maps, you will follow specific routes to find as many different plants as possible and categorize them by their life forms. After the game, we will share impressions and discuss the results. This activity introduces the diversity of plants—trees, shrubs, herbs, and vines—while developing teamwork and navigation skills.
GRANDMA’S GARDEN TREASURES: IDENTIFY, PLANT, AND TAKE HOME
Explore the Botanical Garden’s display of various vegetables, herbs, and aromatic plants. You will learn which vegetables are classified as root vegetables, tubers, or bulb vegetables. You will get to smell and examine various culinary herbs and discuss their benefits and uses in daily life. In the practical portion, every young gardener will have the chance to plant their own plant in a pot to take home or to the classroom to grow and nurture.
THE INSECT KINGDOM IN THE PLANT WORLD
Discover the colors, shapes, and scents of flowers, find "nectar guides", and learn how plants lure insects. You will observe pollinators in action, hear about their vital importance to nature, and see how they help plants reproduce. The session includes searching for floral diversity, comparing scents, performing sensory and movement-based tasks, conducting mini-experiments, and engaging in creative activities. You will also learn how to behave safely in nature and why protecting pollinators is crucial.
JOURNEY INTO THE PAST: STORIES OF VU BOTANICAL GARDEN AND KAIRĖNAI MANOR
In this orienteering game, you will travel to a 4th–5th century burial ground and mound to learn what archaeologists discovered there. Later, you will explore the remaining restored 19th- century buildings: the stables, water mill, carriage house, and more. Walk the paths of the old English-style park of the historic Kairėnai manor, which was once considered one of the top five examples of its kind in the entire Grand Duchy of Lithuania. You will find the remains of the former palaces and learn how many dresses Lady Darata Marikonytė-Lopacinskienė owned and how she spent her time in this remote natural sanctuary.
EXCURSIONS IN THE KAIRĖNAI GARDEN (Kairėnų St. 43, Vilnius)
OVERVIEW EXCURSION IN THE GARDEN
During the tour, you will learn when and where in Vilnius the VU Botanical Garden was located, and what historical circumstances led to its relocation to Vingis and later to the Kairėnai manor estate. You will visit the park, ponds, the mill, and other manor buildings, and discover the impressive diversity of plants in the garden’s collections.
HIDDEN WONDER OF THE JAPANESE GARDEN
You will explore a Japanese garden designed according to the principles of Edo-period stroll gardens. The garden is characterized by naturalness, rustic simplicity, and a harmonious relationship between structures and nature, using essential symbols — gates, stones, plants, and flowing or still water with an island. You will visit the rhododendron collection, which gradually transitions into the Japanese garden space. During the blooming season, you will see a variety of rhododendron flower colors and learn how these plants develop their seeds. You will also see long-lived vines reaching 6–7 meters, palm-sized shrubs, carpet plants, and miniature alpine flora.
IN THE SHADOW OF CENTURIES: WHAT ARE THE TREES WHISPERING?
We invite you on an enchanting journey through the old Botanical Garden park, where every tree whispers its own story. Here you will get acquainted with an intriguing collection of woody plants: from old witnesses of the Kairėnai manor era to giants grown from seeds half a century ago. We will open a chest of stories about trees planted by famous people and reveal the secrets of their origins. This walk will help you slow down, recharge, and see a familiar park or forest through completely new eyes.
EXCURSIONS IN THE VINGIS DEPARTMENT (Čiurlionio St. 110, Vilnius)
OVERVIEW EXCURSION “ALONG HERBAL PATHS”
VU Botanical Garden Vingis Department is beautiful in all seasons: the nearby Neris River surrounds the garden with freshness, and on the eastern side, a high, long slope creates the feeling of standing at the foot of a large mountain. During the excursion, you will get to know the herbs and plants grown here. In May, thermopsis, Jacob’s ladder, and noble corydalis are in full glory, while an indescribable scent wafts from the spring speedwell. In June, most herbaceous plants flourish: the three-leaved foamflower, false indigo, and various sages (meadow, clary, and medicinal) display their delicate inflorescences. In midsummer, you will admire colorful roses from a collection of over 150 varieties. You will explore the diversity of flowers, leaves, and fruits, and enjoy the unique scents of mint.
HARMONY OF PLANTS AND HISTORY IN THE VINGIS DEPARTMENT
Traveling along the winding Garden paths that are already two centuries old, you will learn about the unique history of this area. You will hear about the years spent here by Mikalojus Radvila “the Black,” the summer residence of the Vilnius Jesuit Academy, which was nurtured until the late 18th century, and the stone wall that commemorates them. The history of the Vingis Department is old and rich, not only in events but also in long-lived trees. You will see one of the oldest small-leaved lime alleys (200 years old), mature trees from North America and other regions, and impressive thickets of common ivy.
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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS DURING THE WINTER SEASON
JOURNEY ACROSS CONTINENTS
The Big Greenhouse is home to plants from Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, and South America. These plants help young explorers learn world geography while gaining a better understanding of cultural and lifestyle differences. During the session, you will listen to stories and observe, touch, and compare various plants. You will learn about their history and countries of origin, then test your knowledge by marking their habitats on a world map.
ADVENTURES IN THE BIG GREENHOUSE: SMELL, TOUCH, PLANT
In the Big Greenhouse, you will explore tropical and subtropical succulents, epiphytes, and vines. Meet the “King of Spices” — Rosemary, the giant herb — the Banana, the yellow-fruited Lemon tree, and the mysterious Monstera. You’ll also encounter the self-igniting Eucalyptus, the exotic Coffee tree, and the ornate Bird of Paradise. Additionally, everyone will plant their own plant to take home to grow, nurture, and study.
SPINY AND EPIPHYTE GARDENS
Succulents are plants that store moisture in fleshy leaves and stems, typically thriving in deserts, mountains, or rocky terrains. Epiphytes are plants that grow on trees and obtain nutrients from the air or rain. Are cacti poisonous? How do succulents store water? Do epiphytes bloom? How do people use these plants? You will find the answers to these and many other questions during this session, which includes practical tasks.
CHASING WINTER AWAY! PREPARING FOR UŽGAVĖNĖS
Užgavėnės (Shrove Tuesday) is a day of fun and mischief dating back to pagan times, meant to drive out winter and welcome spring. Participants will learn about old traditions and their meanings. Since every festival needs a mask, you will create one, then sing, dance, and play games. To finish, we will perform the magical “Blukas” (log) ritual.
FLORISTIC ART INSPIRED BY M. K. ČIURLIONIS
Discover plants, their properties, and their use in creative work and the art of floristry. Using carefully prepared and dried plant materials, you will explore plant forms, colours, and characteristics, deepen your knowledge of plant diversity, and learn about their creative potential. A brief introduction to the paintings and music of M. K. Čiurlionis will set the creative mood for students to improvise their own floral landscapes.
THE PLANT KINGDOM IN THE BIG GREENHOUSE (Tour)
Looking for summer in the middle of winter? Visit the exotic world of tropical plants where bananas, monsteras, pineapples, and lemons ripen year-round. You can smell cardamom, vanilla, and bay leaves, and hear fascinating facts about the coffee tree and its importance to humanity.
