In the bosquets of the Summer Garden, common hazel blossomed, which means that the phenological subseason “spring revival” began in St. Petersburg. It will last until the leaves bloom on the birch.

Common hazel (Corylus avellana) or hazel – a common shrub undergrowth of broad-leaved, mixed and coniferous forests of Russia. The plant received the Russian name for the form of leaves that look like the body of a bream fish.

For the helmet-like shape of a plushka, hazel got its generic Latin name ‘corylus’ from the Greek ‘korys’ – a helmet. The specific name ‘avellana’ comes from the city of ‘Avellano’ in Italy, which was the center of cultivation of this valuable nut-bearing plant under the Romans.

From ancient times, the fruit of hazel, as well as its dense wood, has been used in Russia. In the Moscow gardens of Alexei Mikhailovich – the father of Peter I, large plantations of this shrub were grown. Therefore, when creating the Summer Garden at the beginning of the 18th century, hazel was actively used for planting inside bosques.

Hazelnut, planted during the restoration of the Summer Garden in 2011, has taken root well and is now actively blooming.

#Gardens of the Russian Museum # Mikhailovsky Garden # summer garden # Russian museum #rusmuseum_gardens #igardens