Group Workshops
We offer free, bespoke group visits for university and college students to enrich your course or student experience.
Each session is tailored to your needs and led by our education team. Topics we regularly cover include botany, plant science, evolution and conservation. Sessions are typically held outdoors and begin with a short introduction to the Botanic Garden. Students will benefit from hands-on learning, exclusive access to our living collections and insights from our staff and researchers.
These sessions are open to any higher education group — whether that’s a course cohort, student society, subject-specific club or an interdisciplinary team with an interest in plants and the natural world.
Planning your visit
To book a facilitated session, please contact the Higher Education Coordinator at education@botanic.cam.ac.uk to discuss your requirements. You can then book a visit using the relevant college or university booking form. College and university educators are also welcome to arrange self-guided educational visits for student groups, free of charge, using the same form.
Botany Hour
Enhance your study by taking the Botany Hour class at the Botanic Garden to learn botany, plant systematics and comparative morphology.
This weekly course offers a deep dive into the evolutionary relationships and structure of plants. You’ll begin with an overview of plant systematics and land plant groups such as mosses, ferns and conifers, before focusing on flowering plant diversity through the Tree of Life — including ANA-grade, Magnoliids, Eudicots and Monocots. Over 60 plant families are covered in detail.
Each session includes:
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A structured approach to comparing plant lineages through morphology, ecology and uses
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Illustrated slides and curated reading lists
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A short weekly quiz to reinforce learning
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Access to live plant material from the Garden’s collections
Key details
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When: Thursdays, 8:30–9:30am; 35 sessions; Late September 2025 – Early July 2026
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Where: Cambridge University Botanic Garden (Garden Room) or online
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Cost: Free – but attendance at a minimum of 25 sessions is required
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Eligibility: Open to anyone affiliated with a higher education or research institution
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Taught by: Dr Ángela Cano (Deputy Curator) and guest speakers
Applications for 2025-2026 are now closed. Applications for 2026-2027 will open beginning August 2026.
Volunteering and Work Placements
Our Plant Explainer programme offers students the chance to volunteer at Garden events and drop-in sessions. If you’re passionate about plants and interested in gaining experience in science communication, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact the Higher Education Coordinator at education@botanic.cam.ac.uk to find out more about the programme.
We also welcome enquiries from college and university students seeking educational work placements at the Garden. Opportunities are currently limited, but we are working to formalise and expand this offering in the future.
