Three water basins, which were abandoned after the reconstruction of the Aquatic and Marsh Plant Garden, have been filled with nutrient-poor soil, which together with the shade provided by the adjacent Beech Forest provides the proper conditions for the growth of mosses.
 |
 |
| The large basin | Calciphilous mosses |
|
Thus far experience with the cultivation of mosses in the rather dry climatic conditions of our Garden was very limited. Therefore two methods were tried: In one basin moss mats are deposited. Such mats are commercially available and used for green roofs. In the other basins mosses from the surroundings of Berlin were planted to find out how they should be kept. They can be observed particularly well in the largest basin, where a stairway leads to the bottom. In the southern part of this basin calciphilous species grow on a bed of limestone debris. In the western part, away from the Beech forest, more light-tolerant species grow, the same that are often abundant in lawns in Berlin. The eastern side and the second small basin house forest mosses. |
|
 |
 |
| Moss mat | The mosses can be observed conveniently at close distance |