Bristol University | University of Bristol

The University of Bristol

From first year undergraduate tours and lectures, second year practicals, third year projects and PhD research the garden is a valuable educational resource, supporting teaching and research at the University of Bristol.

Higher education tours

Universities at higher education level use the garden as an educational resource. Here students from the University of Gloucester learn about plant adaptation to the environment as part of their biology studies.

General garden tour

Gardening clubs, horticultural societies, tourists, and groups of Friends book tours with our experienced volunteer guides whose knowledge and enthusiasm for the collections makes for a fascinating and memorable tour.

Courses

A wide range of courses are available at the garden from horticulture, design, botanical art, wildlife, photography, vegetable growing, herbal remedies and crafts. Most are short courses but some run throughout the year such as RHS level 2, level 3 and Garden design.

Public Engagement

The garden is frequently represented at many of the City’s events such as the Festival of Nature, Chinese New Year and Discover Science exhibition with educational displays for the public to enjoy.

Garden Events

Visiting exhibitors to our events use educational displays to inform visitors about wide ranging topics such as bees and pollination, education, PhD research projects and the flora and fauna of the South West.

Garden Interpretation

The Garden is designed with education in mind and positioned throughout interpretation boards explain each display. QR codes feature on much of our interpretation displays which link the visitor to additional web based information and photos. Much of the interpretation, including the Savage Garden display, has been designed by Biology students as part of their third year practical projects.

School visits

Hosted by garden staff and volunteers primary and secondary school tours have become a regular feature at the garden with pupils learning about plant adaptation, evolution, reproduction, use, and the environment. The garden stimulates lots of questions. Why are some plants silver? Why do cacti have spikes? Why are banana leaves so big? Having made a first school visit, schools find the garden is a useful and valuable resource and return again each year.

Science picnics

Each year the garden hosts a number of science picnics where students and research staff discuss a variety of subjects such as plant pollination, wheat and cereal evolution and bat sonar with the evolution of flower shapes. Refreshments and the garden used as an outdoor classroom provide a relaxed and unique learning environment.

Learning