Traffic jams, honking taxis, crowded metro, shiny skyscrapers – that’s how one can think about  Frankfurt. But somewhere in the centre of this city jungle there is a place that looks way different. Tropicarium in the Palm Garden (Palmengarten) is a green island in the middle of the city.

Located in Westend, Palm Garden is easily accessible from Central train station by tram (16) or by U-Bahn (U4,U6,U7). The closest station is Bockenheimer Warte. There are two gates to the park: from Palmenartenstrasse or Siesmayerstrasse.

Entry to the Tropicarium is included in the fee for the whole park.

Entering one of the first greenhouses we see the turning globe. It is like a symbol of what we can experience inside – a short trip around the world.

The display is divided into different environments from Africa, South America and Asia. There is a desert and rain forest or for example flora of Madagascar.

If we imagine a paradise as a lush green place full of palms, scent of flowers, very warm and humid atmosphere with a waterfall there and a hidden caves behind it…. and colorful birds and lianas and ponds full of fish… then Tropicarium is a paradise.

This house for exotic plants is prepared to imitate the atmosphere from their place of origin. It is very nice and warm inside, so it is definitely a great choice for a trip on a cold winter day or rainy one in summer.

I always go to see “the plants of the season”. Some of the nicest ones were:

Witch Hazel (Hamamelis ’Orange Beauty’ – Hamamelidaceae)

Starry Crinum (Crinum purpurascens –Amaryllidaceae)

Orchidaceae

Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae – Strelitziaceae)

At that time there was also a display of camellias in the Blossom House.