The Hortus Botanicus Leiden is the oldest surviving botanic garden in the Netherlands and was founded in 1590 at the Rapenburg in Leiden and owned by the university. The garden is open on the side of the Witte Singel and therefore to see free from street and / or water (by boat). The garden has been open from the beginning to the public, something that was an exception especially in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The garden has been expanded over the years and recently (2013), the Observatory has been added to the garden. The front yard is the most authentic part.
Renowned is the imposing giant water lily (Victoria amazonica) which blooms spectacular one a year. There are quite a lot from Japan derived plants in greenhouses, but also special Japanese trees, such as the two Zelkova's, the Japanese horse chestnut, several Acers and Malus toringo (Siebold) the Vriese.
The Japanese influence in the botanical garden is attributable to the originally born in 1796 German physician von Siebold who settled in the Netherlands after his law studies at the Universiteti of Würzburg. He served as surgeon major in the Dutch army in Indonesia. From there, he explored Japan and brought much knowledge from Japan to the Netherlands. He brought japanese trees and plants to the botanical garden and a collection of art objects at his house at the Rapenburg after 1832. In 1829 he settled in Leiden, after he was put out of Japan, because he owned a collection of maps.
At present there is a Siebold Museum of Japanese art at the Rapenburg.
The trees
Direct bij binnenkomst van de hortus:
Specimen  | Girth  | Height |
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) "6012"  | 3.02 m @ 1.50 m | 15.00 m |
Achter de victoriakas aan het water:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Southern catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides) "3085" | 3.70 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
| Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) "12384" | 2.81 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
| Japanse schijniep (Japanese zelkova "6013") | 2.80 m @ 90 cm | ? |
| Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) "12373" | 2.48 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
Bij de Sterrenwacht:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| European beech (Fagus sylvatica) "12366", Variety 'Atropunicea' | 4.37 m @ 1.30 m | 18.80 m |
| Yew (Taxus baccata) "12367" | 2.89 m @ 1.30 m | 10.00 m |
Langs singel, na Siebold tuin:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) "1971" | 5.75 m @ 1.30 m | 22.80 m |
| London plane (Platanus × hispanica) "12368" | 3.98 m @ 1.30 m | 16.04 m |
| Pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum) "3243" | 3.80 m @ 1.30 m | 15.00 m |
| Vine-leafed maple (Acer cissifolium) "12385" | 2.51 m @ 20 cm | ? |
| Sieboldappel (Toringo crabapple "12386") | ? | ? |
Tussen entree en kassen:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) "1752" | 4.80 m @ 1.30 m | 18.80 m |
| Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) "1868" | 3.53 m @ 1.30 m | 18.50 m |
| Date-plum (Diospyros lotus) "1934" | 3.51 m @ 1.30 m | 4.80 m |
| Northern whitecedar (Thuja occidentalis) "12495" | 2.21 m @ 1.00 m | ? |
| Yew (Taxus baccata) "3062" | 2.07 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
| Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa) "12378" | ? | ? |
Centraal. Notentuin,arboretum na Rosarium:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Narrow-leafed ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) "3735" | 4.18 m @ 20 cm | 18.80 m |
| European beech (Fagus sylvatica) "3113", Variety 'Aspleniifolia' | 4.10 m @ 1.30 m | 14.00 m |
| Japanese horse chestnut (Aesculus turbinata) "2061" | 3.68 m @ 1.30 m | 15.20 m |
| Yew (Taxus baccata) "12497" | 3.37 m @ 1.30 m | 10.60 m |
| Sieboldwalnoot (Japanese walnut "3736") | 3.10 m @ 1.30 m | 13.20 m |
| Black pine (Pinus nigra) "6057", Variety 'nigra' | 2.83 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
| Pond cypress (Taxodium distichum imbricatum) "12365" | 2.75 m @ 1.30 m | 16.60 m |
| Lebanon oak (Quercus libani) "3746" | 1.96 m @ 1.30 m | 17.00 m |
| Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) "12547" | ? | ? |
| European beech (Fagus sylvatica) "6056", Variety 'Pendula' | ? | ? |
Zuidelijk deel, achterin de tuin:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Large-leaved lime (Tilia platyphyllos) "12507", Variety 'Asplenifolia' | 2.08 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
| Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) "12509" | ? | ? |
| Japanese zelkova (Zelkova serrata) "12382" | ? | 10.00 m |
Centraal van singel naar achtertuin, de varentuin.:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Caucasian wingnut (Pterocarya fraxinifolia) "2062" | 5.85 m @ 1.30 m | 17.40 m |
| Snow pear (Pyrus nivalis) "12498" | 2.01 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
Bij het begin van de systeemtuin:
| Specimen | Girth | Height |
| Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) "12506" | 2.51 m @ 1.30 m | ? |
| Yew (Taxus baccata) "12511", Variety 'Fastigiata' | ? | ? |
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Achter de victoriakas aan het water
Tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera) "6012"
