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The Jungle Garden – Philip Oostenbrink – Lecture
Philip Oostenbrink began gardening at the age of four in his father's allotment and grandmother's garden. The jungle plant obsession took hold after a trip to Tresco on the Isles of Scilly. He is now Head Gardener at Walmer Castle where one of his first projects has been to plant a jungle garden in the moat. Philip holds four National Collections and in 2019 he and his garden featured on BBC Gardener's World. His book, The Jungle Garden, is published…
Find out more »Get Growing Garden Trail
The Botanic Garden is participating again in this year’s trail. Now in its ninth year, Bristol Food Network’s Get Growing Trail returns for a harvest-themed weekend with 22 of Bristol’s fruit and vegetable gardens throwing open their gates on 18th and 19th September. The Trail offers the perfect opportunity for families and friends to explore the city’s community allotments, orchards, smallholdings, mini market gardens, city farms and productive parks in a safe way. Growing has improved many aspects of mental…
Find out more »Art and augmented reality
Discover how science, art and augmented reality can work together at our interactive workshop presented by artist Alex Hirtzel and creative director Chris Price. Gain insight into Alex’s practice and inspiration, Chris’ work at Curio-Zubr - an augmented and virtual reality studio catering to the arts, heritage and culture sector - and about how they came to work together. Learn more about how AR works as an exciting medium for artists and how it can enhance visual storytelling for education…
Find out more »Growing solutions to social and global problems.
Volunteers in the Botanic Garden From climate change to mental health and wellbeing, could the answer to some of the major issues facing people and the planet be addressed through horticulture? As part of FUTURES2021 Join Nigel Dunnett, internationally renowned plantsman, landscape designer and Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield for a fascinating lecture on this subject. Nigel will be joined by Professor Jane…
Find out more »Drawn to Nature with Sheena Vallely and Pupgroup
This is a drawing course all about exploring and enjoying the process of drawing. Drawing in nature and from it, can allow you to see how plants relate to one another in their natural habitat and with guidance from your tutor, you will be encouraged to learn how to draw from scratch in direct response to a whole range of plants. The botanic garden in autumn abounds with form and colour and scent and it will be your drawing studio…
Find out more »Oxford Botanic Garden symposium. Celebrating Botanic Gardens: Past, Present and Future.
Oxford Botanic Garden is hosting a free, online symposium to explore the vital role played by Botanic Gardens around the world. Welcoming renowned speakers to this international arena, the talks provide a unique opportunity for the public to see behind the scenes of plant science, presented by the people who are working to secure a greener future, including our own Curator Nick Wray. The conference covers a range of topics and will include something for everyone to enjoy; from students…
Find out more »Gardens of the Mediterranean – Mike Nelhams – Lecture
Mike Nelhams, AHRHS, FI Hort, Curator, Tresco Abbey Garden, studied for three years at the RHS Garden, Wisley and first went to Tresco on a Studley Trust Scholarship as a student in 1976. After managing a woodland garden in Sussex for five years he returned to Tresco Abbey Garden in 1984 as Head Gardener and then in 1994 took the post which was established for him of Garden Curator. He is an RHS judge on the Tender Plants Committee and…
Find out more »Introduction to Ferns and some Associated Organisms
This is a one-day course to introduce and develop understanding of ferns and to develop skills in their identification. It is aimed at beginners. The number of species in this group and the apparent similarity between many of them can make them daunting. The terminology itself can seem impenetrable. However, this course is intended to show that, with a little help, these obstacles can be overcome, opening the door to a fascinating group of organisms able to tell us much…
Find out more »Designing with plants – Fergus Garrett – Lecture
Fergus is Head Gardener at Great Dixter House and Gardens. Born in Brighton to an English father and Turkish mother, Fergus spent his formative years in Istanbul, Turkey. On returning to the UK, after school in Brighton he studied horticulture at Wye College, University of London. He has a deep connection with Great Dixter as a result of his relationship with Christopher Lloyd who he joined as his head gardener in 1993 and very much enjoys the interplay between the…
Find out more »Introduction to Bryophytes
This is a one-day course to introduce and develop understanding of bryophytes and to develop skills in their identification. It is aimed at beginners. The number of species in this group and the apparent similarity between many of them can make them daunting for a novice. The terminology itself can seem impenetrable. However, this course is intended to show that, with a little help, these obstacles can be overcome, opening the door to a fascinating group of organisms able to…
Find out more »Traditional Botanical Painting and Drawing with Jenny Brooks
The study of plants has always gone hand in hand with art; exquisite botanical painting and drawing bringing specimens to life. Join Senior associate Jenny Brooks Dip.AD, ATC who will be running workshops on the 10th December. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced, Jenny will show you techniques honed over an impressive career, so you can learn how to approach Traditional Botanical Painting and Drawing from plant specimens. You can attend for two days or just one day…
Find out more »How DNA changed plant taxonomy – Dr Kálmán Könyves – Lecture
This lecture was originally planned for March 2020 but was one of the first events to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic and we are therefore delighted that Dr Könyvesis now able to give us this lecture. KálmánKönyves is a botanist and horticulural taxonomist at the RHS Garden, Wisley working to ensure plants are named and classified correctly. Using molecular tools, he studies the relationship between horticulturally important plant groups in order to help stabilize their names. Traditionally the…
Find out more »The view from Federal Twist – James Golden – Lecture
James Golden is a garden-maker of international repute whose garden,Federal Twist, has featured in The New York Times, Gardens Illustrated,Horticulture, Better Homes and Gardens, Elle Décor and several books.Monty Don visited Federal Twist in 2019 for the BBC series 'Monty Don's American Gardens',describing it as ‘one of the great modern gardens’ and commented after his visit, “It made me rethink what a garden can be and do”. James has published in the Journal of the Society of Garden Designers and…
Find out more »Traditional Botanical Painting and Drawing with Jenny Brooks
Join Senior associate Jenny Brooks Dip.AD for this three-day course running from 10am until 3pm on three Sundays in February, March and April. Each day will feature themed workshops, covering the different stages of botanical painting. The workshop will suit all abilities, beginners will be welcome to work with more advanced Students. 27th February Sharpen up your pencils to improve your drawing skills, working from observation of different plant specimens. 13th March. Exploring different watercolour techniques used in botanical painting.…
Find out more »Curator’s spring tour
Join Curator, Nick Wray, for a spring tour of the Botanic Garden. In March there are bulbs on the ground and blossom in the trees as the season well and truly has winter in the rear view mirror. He will then guide you into the different worlds experienced in the glasshouses where you will find flowering orchids, bromeliads and South African bulbs. Come rain or shine there will be plenty to see. Tours are an excellent opportunity to hear updates…
Find out more »AGM + Lecture by Maisie Brett
The AGM of the Friends of the Botanic Garden will be followed by a lecture by Maisie Brett, University of Bristol Life Sciences PhD student. Maisie did her masters project on plants and pollinators in South Africa. Invasive plants now cover over 10% of South Africa's land mass. In this talk Maisie will explore the role of invasive acacias in endangered fynbos habitats, and how they alter the pollination of native plants in a global biodiversity hotspot. Due to the…
Find out more »Easter Sculpture Festival
Mars, by Lucianne Lassalle It's back! The Easter Sculpture Festival returns for the first time since 2019. The ephemeral sounds of melodious Zen bells chiming on trees, enchanting pond lily ceramics and the mesmerising sight of the potter’s wheel are all features of this year’s Festival. New sculptors include Simon Probyn, Sonya Wilkins and Geoff Hannis. Visitors will be able to view and buy sculpture, enjoy demonstrations of willow weaving, pottery and woodworking and take a…
Find out more »Introduction to flowering plant families and how to identify them.
Join Dr Paul Smith for a one day workshop to introduce the method of plant identification. Identifying an an unfamiliar plant is easier if you know the family to which it belongs. This is a skill that may be learned in the UK and then applied to the flora of any country, anywhere in the world. The morning theory session will look at a selection of flowering plant families and their identification. This will include important characteristics, how to study…
Find out more »Chemigram workshop
Join Sophie Sherwood for a Chemigram workshop. Chemigram printing involves using light sensitive paper with resists such as vaseline to experiment with printmaking techniques. Learn how to make your own darkroom chemistry at home so you can experiment using these with the resists. In this workshop you will use plants from the Botanic Garden and different resists to build layers and so create otherworldly effects on the light sensitive paper. This workshop is aimed at adults but is suitable for…
Find out more »Lumen Printing and Cyanotype Process Workshop
Wendy Leocque is a photographic artist and creative facilitator that has worked in variousdarkrooms around Bristol. As a way of introducing newcomers to alternative photographic process, Wendy teaches Lumen Printing, and Cyanotype process.These processes are a perfect fit for gardens, as your art will be created by the shrubs, blooms and leaves around you and will only need the sun to make an impression. Playing with these processes give an insight into both art and science and will definitely make…
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