It’s the beginning of April, gone are long cold days and frosts, and, exhausted after the long winter months, we start getting out of our homes to soak up the sun and admire the awakening nature. As if to remind us about the beauty and diversity of the plant life around us, the St. Petersburg’s Botanical Garden launched the “Poetry of Nature” exhibition of botanical art.

Tracing back to ancient times and still popular all over the world, botanical art is best defined as art that depicts a botanical subject in a way that is both scientifically accurate and aesthetically pleasing. Unlike in still-life paintings, in botanical art, flowers and mushrooms are depicted on a neutral, most often white, background, which gives artists more creative freedom and provides a more delicate and refined look.

The exhibition is open on April 2-14 from 11am till 6pm every day except Monday (tickets must be bought before 4.30 pm) and is complemented with lectures by botanical artists and experts in this field and workshops on drawing various plants, from tulips to mushrooms. Tickets cost 100 rubles and include access to the park, where you can see snowdrops and other early spring bloomers.

From April 5 to May 12, on the occasion of the International Arctic Forum taking place in St. Petersburg next week, National Geographic’s photographer and marine biologist Dr. Enric Sala and St. Petersburg’s artist Polina Rybina organize the Melting Beauty photo exhibition. The main goal of this initiative is to help people familiarize themselves with the nature of this remote yet extraordinary region, as well as think about the most pressing ecological issues of today. The exhibition is hosted by the ArtMuse creative cluster daily from 11am to 10pm. Admission is free.

Over 40 photographs featuring St. Petersburg’s most unusual cathedrals, mansions, courtyards, lobbies and roofs will be presented at a photo exhibition organized by the city’s most renowned modern photographers and also held at the ArtMuse creative cluster on April 1-30. Learn more about the history of our magnificent city and look at it from a different perspective (quite literally). The creative space is open from 11am till 10pm. Entrance is free.

Whether you want to buy a fancy interior item for your home or a nice handmade souvenir for your loved ones, get some designer clothes, or just wind down a bit, you’ll find it all at the Stylish Market. Housed at the Berthold Center public space on April 6-7, this fair offers a wide selection of handmade clothes, cool accessories, ceramics, eco-friendly cosmetics, as well as books, honey, sweets, and lots of other foodstuffs! The market is open from midday to 9pm. Entrance is free.

Enjoy your weekend!