Eastern Travels - Kazakhstan - Growing trees on the Steppe, Street Trees of Astana and a Juvenile Botanical Garden.

Continuing eastward on my travels my next stop is Astana, the new capital of Kazakhstan and when I say new, consider 30 years ago everything in the following photos was Steppe! During this post we’ll look at the challenges of growing trees on the steppe, the flora of the city along with some of the incredible buildings and, take a look at probably the youngest botanical garden I’ve ever visited.

The city offers a pleasing combination of comfort, grandeur, and open spaces, with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere among its inhabitants. Although I typically dislike grid layouts, in this case, the flat terrain of the Eurasian Steppe complements the city's impressive Starwaresque architecture, accentuated by the expansive skies. The River Ishim, flowing through the city with parks and gardens along the banks, adds a serene touch to the overall ambiance, especially so during the long summer evenings.