Botanical Gardens of the UK
All gardens have plants, and most gardens are either beautiful or productive, sometimes both. Botanical gardens, however, don’t grow plants primarily for either food or beauty. They grow plants for research, for teaching programs, and to support plant conservation projects. Botanical gardens function like a reference collection, making living plants from around the world available for study. Many botanical gardens hold as much biological within their walls as there is in a tropical rain forest.
Many botanical gardens are members of Botanic Gardens Conservation International, which works to support the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation and other global conservation initiatives. The organization has members in more than 120 countries.
The United Kingdom has some of the foremost botanical gardens in the world within its borders, as well as dozen of smaller institutions.
The mission of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is to “inspire and deliver science-based plant conservation worldwide, enhancing the quality of life.” It has representatives of 1/8 of the named plants in the world, making a unique collection in both its size and its scope. Researchers from around the world come to Kew to study and learn, and experts at Kew work with habitat recognition, preservation, and development around the world.
Kew Gardens is one of the most visited gardens in the world, and they use this popularity to spread their mission and educate plant lovers at all levels of expertise. Kew Gardens was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2003.
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has one of the largest collections in the world and is an important research center.
The Edinburgh garden was established in 1670. Three regional gardens were acquired during the twentieth century: Benmore Botanic Garden in Argyll, Dawyck Botanic Garden in the border country, and Logan Botanic Garden on the Dumfries peninsula.
The world’s most extensive collection of species rhododendrons is grown in these gardens. RBGE has been a major center for studying Rhododendron since the late 1800s. All the gardens are open to visitors today, and many special programs are available.
The University of Oxford Botanic Garden began around 1630, when Sir Henry Danvers financed a physic garden “for the furtherance of learning,” which makes it the oldest botanical garden in Britain. The walls have not been changed significantly since they were completed in 1633. Today the Garden offers educational programs to the public as well as functioning as a research center for scholars. The Garden is open to the public.
Cambridge University Botanic Garden has a collection of more than 10,000 plant species in its 40 acre garden. Its collection of British native plants, lavenders, trees, and hardy geraniums are especially fine. The garden was begun by Professor Henslow in 1831, but it was not open to the public until 1846. Today visitors are welcome all year, and many special programs are offered.
See Botanic Gardens of the UK and Ireland for a completely list of botanical gardens in the UK.
