Background: In October 2021, Chinese President XI Jinping announced the launch of the construction of a national botanical garden system in cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou. To facilitate the high-quality development of this national botanical garden system, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of the People’s Republic of China, in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People’s Republic of China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, devised the National Botanical Garden System Layout Plan of China.

Results: This plan was formulated by considering various factors, including major national strategies, distinct climate types, regional vegetation characteristics, priority areas for biodiversity conservation, and alignment of economic and social developmental needs. By incorporating the distribution and operational foundation of existing botanical gardens, the layout strategically encompasses fourteen candidate national botanical gardens in addition to two established national botanical gardens. These selections are based on criteria such as national representation, scientific systematicity, and public welfare. The plan fosters a comprehensive national botanical garden system that boasts rational layout and complementary functions.

Outlook: The national botanical garden system will be incrementally advanced following the principle of “mature one and establish one”. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the background, procedures, ideas and critical considerations involved in the development of the National Botanical Garden System Layout Plan of China. The creation of the national botanical garden system will significantly contribute to biodiversity conservation and offer a distinct Chinese approach toward realizing the goals set by the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.