A Garden Gone Global
A stunning and comprehensive round-the-world tour in plant form
THE Botanic Garden of the University of Dundee is one of the city’s major attractions, welcoming more than 80,000 visitors each year. South-facing and situated in the west end of the city, you can enjoy a pleasant wander amongst acres of beautiful conifers, trees and shrubs.
“The garden hosts a first-class collection of trees from all around the world,” says the garden’s education officer Doctor Neil Paterson. “Giant redwoods, coastal redwoods and Australian eucalyptus trees, complete with their aromatic smell. We even have our own version of the Scots pine-dominated Great Caledonian Forest plus monkey puzzles from seeds collected in Chile.
“Traditionally, botanic gardens weren’t interested in native species, but we bucked the trend by concentrating on them from the start. However, species from around the world were also included so both grew together.”
The trees form an integral part of the garden’s round-the-world tour, where you can move from the Mediterranean area to the Australian and New Zealand section via America and Asia.
“My favourite part is our uniquely large native plants area which features eight Tayside habitats,” continues Neil. “You can walk from the glens to the sea taking in heathland, oakwood, the Great Caledonian Forest, nutrient-rich lochs and sand dunes.
“The huge glasshouse that stands prominently at the entrance to the garden is a tour all to itself, dominated by