The University of Oxford Botanic Garden

When Alison asked me if I wanted to join her on a visit to Oxford on Friday (she was off to the Pompeii exhibition at The Ashmolean),  my first reaction was that I might not find anything new to see. How wrong I was. I had never been inside the Oxford Botanic Garden although I had been past on numerous occasions. I was lucky that the weather was perfect. Mostly sunny and warm and the garden has lots of shade from the many mature trees.

The first part of the garden is laid out in formal beds, most of which contain one specific variety of plant as indicated on the picture below and the photo above.

At the front of each of these borders is information about the plants.

I have found a new word and that is taxonomy. Plant taxonomy is the science that finds, identifies, describes, classifies and names plants. That is why these formal beds are described on the map as The Taxonomic Beds.

There is a beautiful high wall that separates these beds from the next part of the garden.

First up is the water lily pond.

Then the main herbaceous border on the other side of the wall.

And what are called The Merton Borders. With the spire of Magdalen College in the background.

They take you to the far end of the garden by the River Cherwell.

Along the footpath to reach Magdalen Bridge.

Next to the river are the Glasshouses which are outstanding.

This is the Musa velutina or pink banana in The Rainforest House.

And on the right is the Pilocereus strausii in The Arid House.

The giant waterlillies in The Water Lilly House have been grown from seed this year.

There are other greenhouses including The Carnivorous Plant House. This Botanic Garden is so impressive, I cannot believe I had not visited before. I shall definitely go again.