Objective China will steadily build a national botanical garden system with national botanical gardens as the core and regional national botanical gardens representing typical climatic zones and typical vegetation features as the principal part. Based on the national botanical gardens in Beijing and Guangzhou, more national botanical gardens will be established in the future. Master planning is the premise and foundation for the future development of national botanical gardens. However, at present, there are still no related planning methods in China. Taking the national botanical garden in Beijing (hereinafter referred to as "China National Botanical Garden") as an example, this research explores a feasible planning method as a template for future planning and construction of national botanical gardens.

Methods This research mainly focuses on the four dimensions of "national representation, industry leadership, coordinated regional development, and Chinese characteristics". First, as to national representation, the research proposes that national botanical gardens should take responsibility for the construction of ecological civilization, the development of the core functions of botanical garden, and the exhibition of Chinese plant culture characteristics. Next, in order to ensure that national botanical gardens can play a leading role in the industry, the research selects a number of internationally renowned national botanical gardens for comparative study, and proposes specific development goals and planning strategies in terms of species collection and exhibition, scientific research, scientific dissemination, communication platform, and intelligent development. Then, the research takes organic renewal measures for national botanical gardens already upgraded to comprehensive botanical gardens. On this basis, the research conducts an analysis of Chinese plant culture elements and an exploration of regional plant culture resources, with a view to well narrating the stories of Chinese plants, and forming a complete master planning system.

Results Taking the research on master planning of China National Botanical Garden as an example, this research forms specific planning strategies that can help build China National Botanical Garden into a world-class national botanical garden with Chinese characteristics. These planning strategies are as follows. First, satisfy the requirements for core functions of national botanical gardens. Specifically, the research enables the function of ex situ plant conservation relying on the 28 specialized gardens based on the three plant collection exhibition areas of plant evolution exhibition area, characteristic plant exhibition area and native plant protection and plant acclimatization area, and a greenhouse system consisting of an exhibition greenhouse, a research greenhouse, and special eco-environment conservation facilities for plant collection in the greenhouses, to achieve internationally leading species collection. In addition, in the field of plant science research, the research proposes to, centering around the frontiers in plant science and the major needs of China, implement the four key projects and establish the two scientific research facilities, and to develop patents or new varieties for promotion and application, so as to lead the world in plant science research. In the field of plant science communication, the research proposes to establish a layout of science popularization facilities featuring "one pavilion, eight houses, one corridor, and multiple spots", plan eight types of science popularization activities, and build interactive specialized gardens and interactive experience facilities to make science popularization more interesting, thus promoting the achievement of world-class botanical science popularization. In the field of international exchange and intelligent development, the research proposes to cooperate with world botanical gardens and specialized institutions, build a comprehensive platform for international exchanges, sharing and cooperation, and establish an intelligent botanical garden system consisting of intelligent awareness system, intelligent management system and intelligent tourism system, thus contributing to the building of an ecologically intelligent botanical garden in the future. Second, take such measures as layout adjustment, traffic optimization and functional reorganization to solve the problems of land shortage, traffic congestion and repeated construction of the national botanical garden. Third, make use of the geological advantage of China National Botanical Garden that it is located in the area of "Three Hills and Five Gardens" to express adequately its own cultural endowments and the connotation of Chinese traditional plant culture, and form "eight narrative veins and six cultural strategies" to display the fusion of Chinese plant knowledge and garden culture.

Conclusion National botanical gardens should focus on the improvement of comprehensive strength and strive to achieve the integration of "artistic appearance and scientific connotation". Although such aspects as landscape and service facilities can be improved in a short period of time, the capability of plant science research and science dissemination needs long-term development efforts. Therefore, it is recommended that more plant scientists be mobilized in the planning of national botanical gardens to form forward-looking and systematic planning measures. The planning of national botanical gardens should also consider the relationship with the national botanical garden system, and conduct plant collection in a pertinent manner with a focus on local plant collection and protection. In order to build an existing comprehensive botanical garden into a national botanical garden, it is necessary to fully respect the original construction foundation with scientific development and organic renewal. Meanwhile, national botanical gardens should have distinctive Chinese botanical cultural characteristics, and strive to develop into world-class botanical gardens with Chinese characteristics.