A fun-filled, fact-finding, family day out where the Garden becomes a hive of activity and as well as brimming with spring colour.
Free event day with Free tours, talks, ask the gardener, pop-up plant science and more.
There is something for everyone at this year’s Festival of Plants. Consult our Garden experts and bring your tricky questions to our ‘Ask the Gardener’ panel; enjoy our themed, free Garden guided tours and meet University scientists at pop-up, family-friendly, interactive plant science stalls, showing how plant science is addressing global problems. These are just a few of the highlights on offer this year.
A range of tours and bitesize 10 minute talks are timetabled to run throughout the day. There will also be specialist plant stalls, children’s activities, growing advice, live music and pop-up food and drink on offer, as the Garden showcases and shares the fascinating world of plant and the science they support.
Pop-up Science Marquee
Groups from the University’s Department of Plant Sciences, Sainsbury Laboratory, NIAB and others demonstrate and explain the wonders of plants with hands-on experiments and interactive games designed to highlight how world-leading research can help address global challenges.
Free Garden Tours
Our Garden Guides will be giving highlight tours around the Garden. Also, behind-the-scenes tours with our Glasshouse Supervisor and personal favourites with our Head of Horticulture.
Talking Plants
Enjoy our 10–15 minute drop-in talks throughout the day held in the marquee by the lake. Topics will include sonic pollination, invasive species and Darwin’s ‘abominale mystery’.
Ask the Gardener
Bring along your tricky garden questions, dilemmas or plants to identify. Our own horticultural team will be happy to help and give advice.
Schools’ Garden Fete
Drop-in, hands-on family activities all day in the Garden Room; spring crowns, plant cocktails and vegetable tombola.
Cambridge Orchid Society Annual Show
We are hosting the Cambridge Orchid Society Annual Show in our Glasshouse Range. Experts will be on hand to provide growing hints and tips with sales by Laurence Hobbs Orchids Ltd.
Plant Fair
A perfect opportunity to purchase plants from local and specialist nurseries.
Around the Fringe
Musical Entertainment throughout the afternoon on the Main Lawn from the Boxwood Chessmen. The Garden Café will be providing fresh food along with several pop-up refreshments from CaffeMobile, Jack’s Gelato, Guerilla Kitchen and Pizza-Mondo. Have a hug from our walking topiary hedgemen.
Festival of Plants is kindly supported by The Sainsbury Laboratory and CambPlants, University of Cambridge