Name: University of Dundee Botanic Garden
Rating: 5.0

University of Dundee Botanic Garden

University of Dundee Botanic Garden, Riverside Drive, Dundee, UK

1-90 Years

Paid

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Description

University of Dundee Botanic Garden is a beautiful 9.5-hectare garden set along the banks of the River Tay, showcasing plant life from around the world. It offers a peaceful and educational environment with a strong focus on conservation, science and nature. Ideal for families, nature lovers and visitors, it provides a relaxing space to explore diverse plant collections.

Visitors can explore tropical and temperate glasshouses, water and herb gardens, and themed areas including Mediterranean, Asian, American and native Scottish landscapes. The garden also features attractions like the Living Lab, sensory garden, storytelling area, willow tunnel, playground, art gallery, tranquil memorial gardens and scenic viewpoints over the River Tay. Family-friendly features include buggy-friendly paths, self-guided trails, a visitor centre with shop, and spaces for events, exhibitions and educational activities.

Entry costs £5.00 for adults and £4.50 for concessions (over 60), while carers and children under 16 can enter for free. The venue also offers facilities for hosting events such as weddings, family parties and corporate functions.

The University of Dundee Botanic Garden is a perfect blend of natural beauty, learning and relaxation. With its wide range of plant collections and peaceful surroundings, it offers something for visitors of all ages. It is an ideal destination for a calm day out, combining nature, education and scenic views.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: Yes

Features

Located on 9.5 hectares, looking out over the banks of the River Tay, the Botanic Garden houses a wide range of plant life. This plant collection consists of both indigenous British plants, and important plants from across the world.
As well as this you will find collections of trees, shrubs, tropical and temperate glasshouses, and our water and herb gardens. We are committed towards science, conservation and education.
These are principles that we want to share with our 80,000+ visitors each year. We also have facilities which can be hired for holding receptions and meetings.
The Botanic Garden is very popular with families and children of all ages. The paths are buggy-friendly, and there are baby changing facilities at the Visitor Centre.
We provide various guides and self-guided trails on site so you can explore the Botanic Garden at your own pace. To ensure the safety of all our visitors, we ask that our guests not engage in cycling or jogging in the Botanic Garden.

What to see

Botanic Garden map

Visitor Centre: Containing the office, reception and small shop.
Glasshouses (Desert and tropical plants): One of our glasshouses demonstrates plant life in the tropical rainforest, where citrus fruit can be frequently found, coffee beans grow and the pond contains giant water lilies. The other glasshouse takes you on a journey through a temperate region with bananas and insectivorous plants, to an arid zone with cacti and other succulents.
Living Lab: The living lab is a physical place where we both host and undertake research on the living collections in the garden and university grounds. The building is also known as the Macromicro Studio and was created as a prototype zero-energy, self-sufficient laboratory by staff and students in the University.
Paterson Centre: Education Centre named after Dr Neil Paterson, the Botanic Garden’s Education Officer for over 20 years who passed away in 2021. It is a wooden log style cabin building used for various events and functions.
Small hut
Eddie Kemp Pavilion: A traditionally styled pavilion named after the garden's first curator.
Ingram Gazebo: Find a secluded spot in the garden and relax
The Green Gallery and Tay View: The Green Room Gallery shows exhibitions of work by established and aspiring artists who celebrate the wonder of the natural world. Outside the gallery is a viewpoint over the River Tay with views to Fife.
Pagoda Pavillion
Yew/Kissing Hedge
Bandalusian Well: Built in 1979/1980 and marks where our natural water source enters the Garden.
Garden of Evolution: The Evolutionary Garden represents the evolution of plants from the primitive lichens and mosses to flowering plants. It includes impressive dry-stone walling. The Genetics Garden is also housed in this area.
Good Grief Garden: A dedicated memorial garden for visitors to reflect on a lost relative or friend. Designed by Dundee alumna Lorena Weepers, at the heart of the garden are four specially commissioned obelisks, representing the seasons of the year.
SiMBA Tree of Tranquillity: Hand-crafted, life-sized sculptures, made from steel, where each leaf (made from copper) on the tree represents a baby who has died. NHS Tayside worked alongside SiMBA and Tayside Sands to bring this tree to life in Dundee.
Storytelling Area
Sensory Garden
Willow Tunnel: Created in 2017 for children to play in. Funded by the Friends of the University of Dundee Botanic Garden.
Playground

Areas to explore

Herb garden and Mediterranean plants: The shelter provided by the glasshouses in the Mediterranean Area creates a temperate microclimate ideal for these plants.
Mediterranean area: The Mediterranean collection, to the north of the glasshouses, includes a wide range of plants whose natural habit is dry soil.
Native Area: The native plant area depicts the vegetation founds in Scotland from high mountain top to seaside. As you can walk alongside the mountain stream, and through the glen, you see the change from low-growing plants at the top to scrubby plants lower down. This leads into birch pine wood, and oak woodlands, onto the nutrient-rich loch.
American Area (North and South American plants): The American area of the garden includes a developing Eastern North American collection. This takes the visitor from the Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri) forests to mixed deciduous woodlands.
Australia and New Zealand area (Australasian plants): In the Australasian section of the garden there is a large collection of Eucalyptus from Australia and Tasmania.
Asian area: The last area of the garden holds the Asian collection, with many plants from China and the Himalayas.

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Adults: £5.00
Concessions (over 60): £4.50
Carers, Children (under 16): Free

Pricing URL: https://www.dundee.ac.uk/botanic/visit-us

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: Yes

Birthday Party Details

The Botanic Garden is an ideal place for you to hold your function in a great setting close to the heart of the City.
Please contact us to discuss your requirements with us whether it is for a Wedding, Family Party or Corporate Event.

Monday – Sunday 10:00 – 15:30 (Last entry 15:00, Garden closes 15:30)

Address: University of Dundee Botanic Garden, Riverside Drive, Dundee, UK

Post Code: DD2 1QH

Council: Dundee

County: Dundee and Angus

From A90: From the Landmark Hotel roundabout, turn onto Riverside Avenue. At the next roundabout, take the first exit on Riverside Drive. The Botanic Garden is approximately 330 yards on your right-hand side.
From Perth Road: Continue along Perth Road until the turn off for Riverside Drive. The Botanic Garden will be on your left-hand side.
Public transport: Any bus passing Harris Academy on Perth Road also stops near the Botanic Garden. This includes some buses to Ninewells Hospital. Use the Xplore Dundee website for real-time bus information.