Cambridge University Botanic Garden

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Photo of the fountain and the glasshouses behind

The Cambridge University Botanic Garden is a botanical garden located in Cambridge, England. It covers an area of 16 hectares between the city centre and Cambridge railway station. The site is almost entirely on level ground, but the planting is very attractive, and in additional to its scientific value, the garden is highly rated by gardening enthuiasts. It also forms an oasis of tranquility in Cambridge and is frequently used as a place to escape to for lunch by workers in the surrounding area.

The garden was created for the University of Cambridge in 1831 by Professor John Stevens Henslow, probably best remembered today for teaching the naturalist Charles Darwin. It was opened to the public in 1846.

Garden features

• Autumn colour garden
• Bed of British native plants
• Dry garden - demonstrates planting requiring reduced watering
• Fen display
• Genetics garden
• Glasshouses, containing about 3,000 species, and comprising:
• *Alpine house
• *Belize house
• *Cactus house
• *Conservatory, with variable displays
• *Evolution house
• *Filmy fern house (closed for renovation)
• *Succulent and carnivorous plant house
• *Temperate house (currently closed for renovation)
• *Wet tropical house
• Herbaceous borders
• Lake

Photo of the lake and the glasshouses behind