Zisa Palace, Palermo
Press release issued:
27 November 2013
Nick Wray, Curator of the Botanic Garden, will explore the gardens, architecture and landscapes of the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea at a talk tomorrow [Thursday 28 November].
The talk, led by Nick Wray, Curator of the University of Bristol’s
Botanic Garden, will highlight some of the island’s public and private gardens and its natural landscapes.
Rich in history and at a crossroads between East and West Mediterranean and the trade routes between Europe and North Africa, Sicily has had waves of invasion and settlement throughout the past 2,700 years.
Nick Wray said: “Sicily is full of wonderful houses many with fine gardens. The diverse geology and frequent eruptions from Mount Etna have produced some of the most fertile soils in Europe. This enabled a rich agriculture to develop with successive waves of invaders bringing in different plants. The resulting gardens, both historical and contemporary in style, have exuberant growth and many fruits.”
The talk, Sicilian gardens by Nick Wray, Curator of the Botanic Garden, will take place on Thursday 28 November from 7.30 to 9pm in the Powell Lecture Theatre, HH Wills Physics Laboratory, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL.
Admission is free to Friends of the Garden (on production of membership card.).Visitors will be asked for a £5 donation. No booking required.
Further information is available from the Botanic Garden, tel 0117 331 4906 or email botanic-gardens@bristol.ac.uk
Further information
About the Botanic Garden
The garden is open during November to March on Monday to Friday from 10 am to 4 pm or dusk if earlier. It is closed on Saturday and Sunday except for advertised winter tours.
Admission is £3.50 adults; free to University staff and retired staff, Friends of the Botanic Garden, students and children under-16.
The Welcome Lodge will be closed but informational leaflets will be available and a donation from non-Friends is requested. Disabled access and toilet facilities are available.
The garden also offers private day, evening and weekend guided tours for groups and gardening or any other leisure clubs. Please contact the garden for further information. There is a charge for the guide.
Directions to The Holmes
From the city centre go to the top of Whiteladies Road, at the junction and traffic lights go straight ahead across Durdham Down towards Stoke Bishop. At the traffic lights go straight ahead and take the first turning on the right into Stoke Park Road, The Holmes is 150 m on the right.
Members of the public wishing to support the work of the Botanic Garden should join the Friends of the Garden. For more information go to www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/BotanicGardens/friends/who.htm or write to Susan Redfern, The Membership Secretary, 24 Dublin Crescent, Henleaze, Bristol BS9 4NA.
