Moscow State University’s botanical garden, called Aptekarskiy Ogorod (which means “apothecary garden” in Russian) runs an Instagram account with the most followers among botanical gardens in the world.
Founded in 1706 by Peter the Great, it is also
the oldest botanical garden in Russia, and was initially meant to grow
medicinal plants. Since the 19th century the garden has belonged to Moscow
State University’s Biology Department, and the garden is now open to the
general public. The Instagram account @hortus_ru is dedicated to pictures of
the temporary exhibitions (for example of tiny Bonsai trees), permanent
collection items like cacti and succulents and the garden’s cat, called Chief
Flower Cat.
