Как добраться. Транспорт
На поезде, следующем из Москвы или Петербурга в Мурманск, нужно доехать до ст. Апатиты, а оттуда на автобусе до г. Кировск. Или прямым самолетом до Кировска из Москвы.
Как попасть к ботсаду? Из Кировска автобусом до ост. "Камень", далее повернуть налево и пройти пешком ок. 1,5 км.
Описание (английский)
The Polar-Alpine Botanical Gardens-Institute is situated 7 km from Kirovsk on the
slope of Khibiny Mountains and founded on 26th of
August 1931.
Here you may get not only acquainted with the local flora but also with trees
and plants which are not peculiar to the Kola Peninsula area. Sometimes it is really wander to see inhabitants of
the South parts of the country growing and feeling very comfortable in the
northern severe circumstances! You will walk surrounded by blossoming plants and among beds of flowers along the
paths of the unusual place. In additional you will see a piece of real jungle under a glass roof. Unique peculiarity of this
place is that these tropical plants have to survive in our region in Summer when there is no darkness at night.
The Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden has a special ecological path leading to the top of a mountain and you can and watch
how types of plants are changing passing the five different zones.
1. The foothills.
It is typical of this zone to have spruce, pine and birch forest; moss and motley grass are spread in
topsoil. This zone ends in the middle of the slope.
2. The mountain and forest zone.
It consists of the same forest too, but the topsoil is berry bushy.
3. The curved birch zone.
These birches are not trees but some kind of bushes.
4. Mountain and tundra zone.
It has dwarf (Arctic) birch what is not more than 60 cm high and has small round leaves like one cent coins.
5. The stony tundra.
Here different lichens can grow, only.
To watch all this diversity of zones during one comparing short hike is only possible in Northern
countries and specially in this unique Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden.