The Botanic Garden’s first ever immersive installation in late summer 2026 was a resounding success. Born out of the Garden’s Community Membership Scheme and inspired by the Garden, The Struggle For Light exhibition focussed on our botanical heritage and the University of Cambridge’s Herbarium collection.
Over 800 Garden visitors, of all ages, experienced the exhibition between 24-30 August 2026. Sited in the Syndicate Room, the installation showcased the art and writing of amateur artists who took inspiration from Victorian artist, writer and scientist Mary Merrifield. The artists’ work responded to the Herbarium’s collection of Merrifield’s algological watercolours (i.e. watercolour paintings that feature algae).
The exhibition is the first event to come directly out of the Community Participatory Research project. Visitor feedback revealed how a creative, community-led exhibition can encourage more local people to visit the Garden and explore its plant collection, as well as inspire interest in botanical and historical research.
An Immersive Experience
Visitors were invited to step inside an atmospheric Victorian sitting room, re-imagined through sculpture, lighting, sound and specially commissioned creative writing.
At the heart of the installation, large transparent tanks filled with aquatic plants evoked the Botanic Garden’s glasshouses and waterways. Reaching towards the light, the plants weaved around sculpted figures representing Mary Merrifield, her descendants and generations of women artists, creating a powerful visual metaphor for perseverance, growth and the pursuit of creative recognition.
Throughout the space, botanical imagery appeared in unexpected places – from hidden details woven into wallpaper and textiles to striking artworks displayed around the room – inviting visitors to look closely and uncover the many layers of the story. In the background poetry readings and atmospheric cello music filled the room.
For more information on the exhibition read the Garden’s news story.
The Glasshouse Artists
Following on from our Community Research Project, The Glasshouse Artists group was formed to create art inspired by the Garden. In this exhibition the artists celebrate the power of creativity, collaboration and community, while shining a light on the stories of women whose artistic contributions deserve to be better known.
The artists: Joe Forsyth, Lynn Fraser, Melissa Fu, Annabel Lee, Hannah Migliari
“Lovely to see this room used for this inspiring exhibition! We didn’t know about Mary Merrifield, quite a woman! Looked anew at plants in glasshouses. The bell jars were impressive, loved the dragonfly chair! Hope to see more exhibitions like this.”
“Incredibly immersive exhibition – well done to all involved in bringing it together! It has made me want to explore the pond and water lilies. I feel more inspired to stop and take notice of my surroundings – sight, sounds and smells.”
The Herbarium
Over 1.1 million pressed, dried and mounted plant specimens are held in this prestigious archive. Part of the Department of Plant Sciences, the Cambridge University Herbarium’s (CGE) collection spans over 300 years of botanical history, with specimens dating back to at least 1703.
The Herbarium reflects global plant diversity, with specimens added as a result of purchases, exchanges and donations. The Mary Merrifield drawings were one such donation, and form part of the Herbarium’s holdings of botanical illustrations. Currently, CGE is digitising its collections making them more accessible to researchers across a broad range of disciplines. The focus of this work is on British specimens, which are comprehensively represented in the collections.
Click here to read more about the Herbarium.
Inspired by the exhibition?
Visit the Garden’s water lilies and pond life in the Lake, Fen Display and Tropical Wetlands Glasshouse.
This is the first art exhibition arising from our recent Community Research Project, working in collaboration with the Cambridge University Herbarium and The Glasshouse Artists.
Contributors: Juliet Anderson, Eve Campbell, Bee Carter, Clemi Lee, Theo Lee, Kate Price Thomas, Tom Steer. Lighting and sound design: CJ Steer
Supported by:
