The first year of independent existence
In the autumn, the Teplice Botanical Garden published its own Index Seminum (a list of seeds that it can provide to other botanical gardens and scientific institutions) for the first time and established contact with more than two hundred of the most important botanical gardens in Europe, Asia, North and South America and Australia. The greenhouses remained virtually untouched due to the planned construction of new greenhouses. Therefore, the garden concentrated only on preparing the larger trees for replanting, a job requiring a one- to two-year lead time (regeneration and thickening of broken root balls at the perimeter).
Construction in 2004–2006
A proposal for logical exhibition collections according to geographically defined plant communities and an increase in the number of cultivated plant species was created. In just one year, by purchasing plants, seeds and especially free exchanges (especially with the Botanical Garden of the Capital City of Prague), we have been able to create a new collection of plants. Prague and the Zoological and Botanical Gardens of Pilsen), we have acquired more than 1,200 new plant species, more than doubling the number. In the summer of 2003, the construction of the 1 750 m² storage greenhouses began, and their completion took place in December of the same year. Since the summer, preparations have been under way for the removal of the mature shrubs and trees. During the winter months of 2004, the storage greenhouses were put through a trial run, with ongoing troubleshooting.
New greenhouses
Although we had counted on losing up to 20% of the plants during the move (according to the experience of colleagues from other gardens), everything turned out much better. Except for a few woody plants that simply cannot be replanted and have to accept their loss (sensitivity of roots to disturbance - papayas, myrtles, mature pandanus) and (rare) discarded ballast plants, generally known, which we no longer wanted to use in the new exhibit, the total loss of removals is 15-20 specimens, which is totally insignificant as we are in the low teens of cultivated species. In addition, in 2004 we sowed more than 2 000 species of tropical, subtropical and outdoor plants: this has roughly doubled the number of cultivated species in the last three years compared to the initial situation, but more importantly, it has significantly improved the quality.
Year 2007
Felling and planting of new trees took place in the outdoor exhibition. The asphalt circular paths in the garden were replaced by paved paths, the pergola was repaired and irrigation was installed in the outdoor exhibition. The new 2 400 m² greenhouse was completed and approved in December 2005. After the two-year closure of the garden, we felt the understandable growing curiosity of the Teplice residents. Therefore, we organised Open Days during the week of 14-22 October 2006 and presented the work in progress to the public. Nearly 14,500 visitors took the chance to see the new greenhouses over the ten days. In 2006 the garden participated in the IV. Congress of European Botanic Gardens, became a full member of the international organization of botanic gardens BGCI (Botanic Garden Conservation Institution) and the Union of Botanic Gardens of the Czech Republic.
