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Botanic Garden
A family exploring the glasshouse at the Botanic Garden.

What’s Here

The Botanic Garden is enjoyed by old and young alike, and there is plenty to see and do around our site. Explore this unique garden and discover something new around each corner over the changing seasons. 

We have plant collections from around the world, including China, Japan, North America, South Africa, New Zealand and Chile, as well as a woodland garden, alpine garden and bamboo grove. 

Find out more

Explore more about the wide selection of plants you’ll see on a visit to Durham University Botanic Garden, and learn more about the history of the Garden and how we label our plants. We are sure you’ll discover something interesting and learn something new.

Art In The Garden

Hidden within the pathways, trees and gullies of the Botanic Garden reside several sculptures for you to discover.
Botanic Garden Vessels of Life sculpture

Carboniferous Garden

The Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era began 354 million years ago, and lasted for about 64 million years, until 290 million years ago.
A painting depicting the Carboniferous Period of the Paleozoic Era.

Glasshouses

Home to a plethora of weird and wonderful life, in our glasshouses you will find everything from tropical rainforest to desert cacti.
The Greenhouse Lawn at the Botanic Garden

Magnesian Limestone Flora

Magnesian Limestone was originally formed in the shallow tropical Zechstein Sea some 250 million years ago, and now outcrops in only a few places in the North East.
Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium). Photo Credit to Dave Mitchel.

Native Woodland

The central areas of our garden are surrounded by woodland native to the British Isles, perfect for a peaceful stroll to relax, unwind and get away from everything.
The woodland at the Botanic Garden.

Tropical Bugs and Insects

The glasshouses are home to our collection of bugs, insects and spiders, including scorpions and tarantulas.
A large centipede crawling over a person's hand.

Wildflower Meadow

The meadow forms a beautiful wildflower habitat, hosting scores of plant species which in turn act as food plants for butterflies, moths and many less-familiar insects.
Wildflowers in the Wildflower Meadow at the Botanic Garden.

History of the Garden

The Botanic Garden has been on this site since 1970 and was created primarily for teaching and research. As the garden matured a Visitor Centre was opened in 1988.
Botanic Garden Conservatory and Glassroom sections as they were in the 1970s