The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Escape stress of modern life at urban oasis
The University of Dundee Botanic Garden is open late this summer. Caroline Lindsay finds out what’s on offer
The health benefits of being outdoors are well known – it helps mental and emotional wellbeing as well as keeping us physically active. A perfect space to walk and wonder is right on our doorstep at Dundee University Botanic Garden in the west end of the city.
It has a huge range of plants, collections of conifers and broadleaved trees and shrubs, tropical and temperate glasshouses, a water garden and herb garden.
As well as many species of indigenous British plants, there are also representative collections of important plants from all the continents of the world.
With more than 80,000 visitors crossing its threshold every year, Mark McGilchrist, chairman of Friends of the Botanic Garden, reveals another aspect of the power of plants.
“We are administering a social prescribing pilot project during July and August, where local medical or carehome facilities can prescribe a visit to the garden for a patient,” he explains.
“Patients who attend can take one of a series of guided walks, art classes, volunteer or simply walk for themselves.
“We’re hoping the garden will return to the historical therapeutic role of botanic gardens – it’s important to maintain the garden as a botanic garden as its private, quiet nature and the less-familiar flowers, shrubs and trees help make it a unique space in Dundee.”
The garden is open every evening (except Fridays) until 8.30pm during August.
Mark hopes as many people as possible from all walks of life will take advantage of the extended opening hours.
“Many of our current projects are designed to bring in various communities, from artists and writers to NHS patients and families, and this is part of our efforts to enhance the garden as a community hub and promote well-being,” Mark says.
The need for a botanic garden at the university was identified by botany staff in 1966 but it was promptly shelved for lack of funding.
Eventually it was agreed to develop an operation on a shoestring budget, a policy that continues to this day.
In 1970, a copy of the founding memorandum, written in 1966 by Dr Hugh Ingram, was discovered by Professor James Drever, first principal of the university.
He took up the idea with enthusiasm and detailed planning for the Botanic Garden began.
Since then there have only been three curators and the garden is currently in a transitional phase since Alasdair Hood, curator since 1998, retired.
“The university and academic community are currently deliberating on a replacement curator and they will announce something in due course,” Mark explains.
“It’s vital to have collections from all over the world as that’s one of the differences between a garden and a botanic garden,” he points out.
With the help of education officer Dr Neil Paterson, and around 20 evening volunteers, the Friends have been working hard to attract visitors.
“We are running a children’s allotment this year as a series of five events, four of which have now taken place and the plot is now being harvested,” Mark smiles.
Little ones and their grown-ups will also find Well-beeing, one of the penguin sculptures to raise funds for Maggie’s Dundee, at the entrance to the gardens.
“We also have a project to create an anthology prompted by people’s responses to the garden when they visit. The completed book will be for sale at various outlets in the city,” he continues.
“Many folk tell us they are visiting for the first time and that’s great to hear.
“Modern life is intense, so get away from it all, switch off and come to an educational oasis.”