About the Botanical Garden

The plants of the Land of Israel excel in an enormous wealth of species, plant communities and habitats.
The agricultural crops have always been the basis of existence, alongside the wild plants that supplemented the menu with an abundance of vegetables in the winter season.
Plants were used to produce medicines, dyes, spices, fibers and more. Thanks to Israel's close familiarity with the plants, their sun is a source of poetry and prayer, words of prophecy and morality, parables of wisdom and wisdom.

For two thousand years we were in exile and the connection with the nature of the land and its wealth of flora was severed and lost.
With the renewal of the Aliyah and return to the Land of Israel, Nega HaReuveni, the founder of Neot Kedumim, argued that an important place should also be devoted to a renewed acquaintance with the vegetation: ".. to reveal the treasures of the past and receive the great inheritance from our ancestors, which they bequeathed to us through the plants of the land, many of which They stayed here and waited for our arrival. And in this way we can continue to build our plant culture..."

The Botanical Garden of Neot-Kedumim 

The Common Caper bush, which is at the beginning of the route, is the symbol of Neot-Kedumim and the symbol of the botanical garden. The caper was chosen as a proper symbol of Neot-Kedumim due to his beauty and his amazing ability to survive. It’s not for nothing that the sages called him ” The bolder tree”.

The Botanical Garden of Neot Kedumim covers an area of ​​about 40 dunams and contains about 950 species of Eretz Israel plants, wild plants and crops of traditional agriculture. The garden aims to research and present AI plants with the intention of illuminating their part in shaping the culture and heritage of the people of Israel and preserving their genetic traits for future generations

The garden route passes between water pools, orchards, fields, wild areas and ancient agricultural facilities. Along its length, thematic gardens were established that present collections of native plants selected according to the concept – from the ancient to the modern. Signage with plenty of information on botany and heritage is available to visitors. For those interested in more information, scan the barcodes at the bottom of the garden signs or on the botanical garden’s information page.

After two years of Corona, a year of Shmita, (the seventh year in a seven-year cycle during which land in Israel must lie fallow) coronavirus and destruction by animals, some of the gardens were destroyed and are now being rebuilt. If they are surrounded by a fence, remember to close the gate when you leave.

A pleasant visit 

For the route map between the gardens of the botanical garden click here

:The gardens list along the route

 Winter pool – a seasonal pool with a unique ecosystem of plants and animals. Due to the spread of urbanization, many of them are in danger of extinction

  “…to work it and to guard it” – A rescue garden for endangered plants – presents a collection of plants that are in danger of extinction. Its location in the heart of the grain fields is intended to illustrate the commandment received by the first man: “to make and preserve”

Garden of the Circle of the Seasons – a Garden divided into the 12 months of the year and showing the annual flowering cycle of Israeli wild plants. Each month shows the beginning of flowering

“The vegetables of the field and the vegetables of the garden” – the vegetable garden and “ – the traditional vegetables and legumes of ancient Israel. In the beds we will find the wild ancestors – the “field vegetables”

  Medicinal and herbs garden – the ancient medicinal and herbs plants of the Land of Israel

 The garden of the wheat ancestors – the ancient wheat varieties of the Land of Israel, from wild wheat to bread wheat

“Ein Gedi” greenhouse – unique plants from the Ein Gedi area, including the myrrh and Commiphora gileadensis trees – the ancient perfume trees of the Land of Israel”

 Garden of wicks and oils

  Wild vineyard- – (under construction) – a vineyard of the wild grape varieties of the land of Israel. A new study revealed that the Israeli vine is the wild ancestor of the world’s vine. The vineyard is a collaboration between Neot Kedumim and Ariel University

The beach garden – (under construction) overlooks the coastal plain, Dan region, and represents the property of the tribe of Dan and Zebulun who lived on the seashore. At the entrance to the garden is the Wheel of the Times – a mosaic wheel that displays the Hebrew calendar and corresponds with the Garden of the Circle of the Seasons Times at the beginning of the route.

Nectar Plant Garden and Honey Center

The garden of colors – (under construction) a variety of trees and plants whose various parts produced color for dyeing fabrics

 The state symbol – the garden of sage plants – was designed in the shape of the menorah, in light of the interpretation of the Hareuveni family. In their opinion, the sage plant was the inspiration for the design of the menorah. In the garden there are various species of sage, some of which are in danger of extinction.