Treborth Botanic Garden, Bangor University

About Treborth Botanic Garden, Bangor University

Treborth Botanic Garden was established more than fifty years ago by Professor Paul Richards of the School of Botany, Bangor University on an 18 hectare site that had originally been designated for Sir Joseph Paxton’s Britannia Park; a project that was never realised.
The purpose of the garden was to enhance teaching and facilitate research in the School of Botany. Since then that function has been extended to involve not only all the students of the School of Biological Sciences and the School of Environment, Natural Resources and Geography but also the wider community beyond the university, by offering opportunities for study and hands-on experience to primary and secondary schools through a Forest School programme and various community groups. It also serves as a venue for guided walks, meetings and workshops for specialists, academics and interested amateurs. At the same time the general public has free and unlimited access throughout the year. This wider engagement is demonstrated by the annual visitor numbers which exceed 35,000, many of whom enjoy the Wales Coast Path that runs through the woodland and from here there are views of the Menai Strait and the two historic bridges, the Menai Suspension Bridge and the Britannia Bridge.

The site is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and includes a Site of Special Scientific Interest along the shore of the Menai Strait. There are more than 3000 native and exotic species within the garden in planted borders, species rich natural grasslands, shrubberies, ponds, the arboretum, mature broadleaved woodland and ancient woodland, and uniquely for a British Botanic garden, a rocky shoreline habitat. There are six glasshouses providing specialised environments for parts of the collection and also propagating facilities.

The Rhizotron, one of very few in the U.K., has been recently refurbished with funds from The Royal Society and offers a state of the art below ground carbon research laboratory.
As well as growing rare plants from around the world, the garden has an active and expanding programme of conservation and propagation of native Welsh species.

The practical voluntary work carried out by students of the university and The Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden reflects the interest, pride and affection that this garden inspires, and their commitment to its future development as a garden of national importance and a valued asset to the wider community.
.

Partnered with National Botanic Garden of Wales to champion Welsh horticulture, protect wildlife and extol the virtues of growing plants for food, fun, health and wellbeing.