The university botanical garden in Balchik turns 61 today. The garden has the status of a rescue centre for plant species confiscated at the border under the Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES) and is the second biggest botanical garden in Europe, after the one in Monaco.
It is the only botanical garden in the country with special pathways adapted for people with mobility and visual impairments where they are able to get to know different plant species with the help of special signs in Braille lettering. The collection features more than 2,500 plant species from all corners of the planet, including giant cactuses growing outdoors from April until October. Another highlight is the unique specimen of Metasequoia or dawn redwood, until recently considered to be extinct, but later discovered in China by academician Nikolay Stoyanov during a science expedition.