Durham University Botanic Garden

About Durham University Botanic Garden

Set among mature woodland on the southern outskirts of Durham, the University Botanic Garden covers around ten hectares of gardens open to the public throughout the year. Visitors can wander woodland and alpine gardens, a wildflower meadow and a Japanese garden, while the glasshouses hold a desert house of cacti and a tropical rainforest complete with resident tarantulas that children tend to remember long after the visit.

A visitor centre with a coffee shop and gift shop sits at the heart of the garden, and there is a small car park on site as well as free park and ride access into the city. Adult admission is charged with concessions available, and under-16s go free, which makes it an easy-value family morning out. It offers a calmer, greener counterpoint to Durham's busier city-centre attractions and rewards a slow, unhurried visit.

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