In June 2027, the Hortus will open a brand-new themed area: Dutch Flora of the Future. Here, you can discover how nature in the Netherlands may evolve under the influence of climate change.
Climate change and habitat loss are putting pressure on biodiversity in the Netherlands. Some plant species are disappearing, while others are moving north from southern Europe and establishing themselves here as a result of the warmer climate. These plants bring insects, fungi and other organisms with them. In a healthy ecosystem, all these species help keep each other in balance.
With its new planting scheme, the Hortus explores what a future-proof Dutch landscape could look like. The focus is not only on wild nature, but also on the role plants can play in creating climate-resilient cities and biodiverse gardens.
Visitors will discover a mix of familiar native species, plants that are likely to play a greater role in the future, such as the guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) and dark mullein (Verbascum nigrum), as well as new species that are increasingly establishing themselves in the Netherlands as the climate changes.
The new Dutch Flora of the Future has been made possible thanks to generous contributions from the Friends of the Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, the Turing Foundation, Cultuurfonds, Dinamo Fonds and the Gravin van Bylandt Foundation.
Work in progress
The work will be carried out in two phases. From August through October 2026, we will be creating the first section of the new landscape. During this period, this area will be closed to visitors.
In the first few weeks, the existing planting will be removed, while the trees will be preserved. Some of the plant species will be incorporated into the new design, while others will be relocated to another part of the garden. From 21 September to 31 October, the new landscape will be constructed, including new planting beds and pathways.
From November onwards, we will begin planting the new collection in the beds. The area will be open to visitors again from this point onwards. Work on the second section will begin in 2027.
Thanks to contributions from the Friends of the Amsterdam Hortus Botanicus Association, the Turing Foundation, the Cultuurfonds, Dinamo Fonds and the Gravin van Bylandt Foundation, we’ve been able to make a good start on the redevelopment, but we’re not there yet. Would you like to make a contribution to this garden project? Every little bit helps!
In a healthy ecosystem, all species work together to maintain balance and provide us with many services. These include water purification, CO₂ sequestration, coastal protection, disease and pest control, pollination – which is essential for our food supply – and a healthy living environment. A great diversity of species makes for strong and resilient nature. Diversity makes ecosystems less vulnerable and thus also makes our society more resilient to change and threats. But what if that diversity declines?
Several things are currently happening at once. Over the past hundred years, the habitat of plants has shrunk due to urbanisation and the intensification of agriculture. In addition we are facing rapid climate change: species are unable to adapt to sufficiently. As habitats disappear or change, plant species disappear too. However, the loss of plant species extends beyond the loss of the plants themselves. This also means the disappearance of food, shelter and protection for many other (animal) species. Biodiversity is disrupted and nature – including humans – become more vulnerable to diseases, pests and other threats.
Nature as we know it, and on which we depend for our lives on Earth, needs our help and attention. Plants will ultimately survive, even if we do nothing and climate change only exacerbates the loss of biodiversity. But humans have both the responsibility and the power to do something about this – our own survival depends on it. When there are sufficient (native) plant species present, a connected and resilient piece of nature emerges. Species can then establish themselves and grow in numbers, which in turn attracts other (animal) species: more plants attract more insects, more insects attract more birds, and so on.
