THIS being the holiday season and with Germany very much in the news, this month's column visits one of the country's most famous botanic gardens - the Palmengarten in Frankfurt.

The place, which means Palm Garden in German, is famous for its conservatories of tropical plants and dry landscapes. Housed within a futuristic 5,000sq m complex of interconnected greenhouses are landscaped displays of plants such as orchids, bromeliads, palms, ferns, cacti and succulents.

The plants are grouped by habitat, so you will find separate enclosures simulating environments like rain forest, mangrove, tropical highland, savannah and desert.

At the heart of the 20ha park is its historic heart - the Palmenhaus (Palm House), which was built in 1869. Under its towering tracery of glass and steel lies a lush tropical paradise of palms, philodendrons, anthuriums, ferns and many other plants surrounding a waterfall and stream that winds its way down the length of the landscape.

The garden is open all year round, but the best times to enjoy the outdoor displays are of course spring and summer.

In spring, the park is filled with flowering bulb plants such as crocuses, tulips, narcissi and hyacinths.

In May and June, azaleas, rhododendrons and peonies take over, with roses rounding off summer with a stunning display in their own Rosengarten opposite the main entrance. So, this is as good a time as any to go.

The Palmengarten, Siesmayerstrasse 6, is open daily from 9am to 6pm from Feb to Oct and 9am to 4pm from Nov to Jan. Admission is 5 euros (S$10) for adults and 2.50 euros for children. There's also a range of special rates. Visit www.palmengarten-frankfurt.de for the full list.

Subway lines U6 and U7 will take you to within a few minutes' walk from the main entrance.

Photos: Andrew Tan