Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Welcome to Cambridge University Botanic Garden – 40 acres of green space in the heart of Cambridge. The Garden is open 7 days a week, all year round.

Whether it’s a relaxing visit with friends and family in beautiful surroundings or an inspirational garden visit, there’s something for everyone.

A short stroll from the railway station, our heritage listed landscape offers year-round colour and interest throughout the year.

Our collection of 8,000 plant species includes rare and endangered plants from all over the world – supporting University teaching and research, while also providing inspiration and interest to visitors of all ages.

Highlights include:

Winter Garden *Glasshouse Range *Autumn Garden * Lake *Bee Borders * Woodland Garden *Scented Garden * Rising Path and Systematic Beds* Limestone Rock Garden * National Collection of Tulips, Fritillaria, Saxifraga

What’s on:

* freshly made food from our Garden Café

* free family activity trails

* free adult trails

* picnics welcome

* weekend free guided tours

* group visits

* browse in our shop

* online courses & activities

For more information on opening times and tickets, see www.botanic.cam.ac.uk for details

*Relaxation *Inspiration *Education

Photo Credits: Cambridge Botanic Garden

The Botanic Garden of Cambridge University was founded in 1762 in the centre of the City, on c5 acres of ground which had previously been the site of an Augustinian friary.

The land was bought by Dr Richard Walker, Vice-Master of Trinity College for £1,600 and was given by him to the University as a Botanic Garden. Thomas Martyn, Professor of Botany, laid out the garden with the help of the first curator, Charles Miller, whose father, Philip Miller of the Chelsea Physic Garden had advised Walker on the purchase of the site. Glasshouses and a lecture room were built but after eight years, Miller left. James Donn was appointed as his successor and in 1796 Donn published Hortus Cantabrigiensis, a list of the plants in the garden. After 1798, Martyn rarely visited the site and the garden became neglected with few lectures given.

In 1825, J. S. Henslow, Charles Darwin’s teacher at Cambridge, was appointed Martyn’s successor and realising the site was too small, persuaded the University to purchase about 40 acres of land to the south of the city. Planting began in 1846 although the University had sanctioned only half of the site to be developed on grounds of expense, the remainder being let as allotments.

Plans were drawn up by the first Garden Curator, Andrew Murray, in consultation with Henslow. The garden was laid out in the Gardenesque style with a sinous path following its circumference, bisected along an east-west axis by the Main Walk flanked by conifers. A belt of trees, grouped together in their families was planted outside the perimeter path. To the north of the Main Walk was a U-shaped lake and, to the south, a complex series of herbaceous systematic beds.

By the 1870s, the main features of the garden had been developed and, under the horticulturist and curator, R. Irwin Lynch, it played an important part in the botanical teaching and research at Cambridge.

During the early years of the 20th century much of the pioneer work on plant genetics was carried out here as well as reasearch on plant physiology and plant pathology. In 1919 F. G. Preston succeeded Lynch as Curator and two years later the University appointed H. Gilbert-Carter as the first scientific Director of the Garden.

In 1934, Reginald Cory of Trinity College bequeathed in his will, the residue of his estate to the Botanic Garden. This allowed the University to incorporate the remaining 20 acres into a Botanic Garden – this included a new entrance, experimental glasshouses and a limestone rock garden by the lake.

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Cambridge University Botanic Garden

INFORMATION

STAY UP TO DATE