The Central Botanical Garden of Belarus covers 92 hectares in the Chizhovka district and is one of the most extensive in the former Soviet Union, housing around 9,000 species of plants from around the world. The garden opened in 1932 and is a serious scientific institution as well as a public park.
For visitors, the highlights are the rose garden (at its best in June), the lilac collection (May), the greenhouse complex with tropical plants, and the adjacent Museum of Stones (a separate entrance, worth combining into the same visit). The orchard and fruit collection give the grounds a pleasantly agricultural feel in the outer sections.
The Botanical Garden is particularly popular with Minsk residents as a weekend destination. It's significantly more peaceful than the city centre, and the combination of formal gardens, woodland walks, and the stone museum makes it worth the metro journey to Botanichesky Sad station.