CULTURE CLUB
the Botanic Garden WE CELEBRATE THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF A CITY ICON – CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BOTANIC GARDEN The heart of the city WORDS BY FRANCES MCNAUGHTON
It was Henslow who first planted the seeds for the Garden we see today: he successfully persuaded the university of the need to transition to a much bigger site, citing the potential to study plants in their own right, including a collection of large, recently-discovered trees. This marked a clear shift from the traditional concept of a physic garden, and so, the Garden we see today started to grow.
sprawling, beloved attraction, showcasing plants from around the world. Not only does it act as an extensive researching and teaching facility for the university, it’s also a wonderful amenity for the city, providing a beautifully landscaped open space to escape to. And after the year we’ve had, there’s no wonder it’s garnering renewed appreciation and reverence from both locals and visitors.
ounded by John Stevens Henslow, a biologist and Professor of Botany at the University of Cambridge, and designed by curator Andrew
Murray, Cambridge University Botanic Garden has occupied its current 40-acre site for 175 years. Over time, it has evolved from a small, city-centre physic garden – for the benefit of medical students learning how to use plants as treatments – to a
18 AUGUST 2021 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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