Alan Featherstone : "Restoring the Caledonian Forest"
Now less than 1% of its original 1.5 million hectares, Alan is restoring parts of this forest in Glen Affric via his charity Trees for Life.
Prof Lorna Dawson CBE : "Natural Justice: How soil and plants have helped solve crimes"
Having worked on over 200 criminal cases, Lorna discusses this discipline using examples from UK and abroad.
Jane Clifford : “A journey through the Japanese Garden at Cowden, 1908-2025”
ONLINE ONLY ON TEAMS
How this amazing garden was created, destroyed by vandals and then restored in the past decade.
Mike Dale : "The North Coast 500, a floral road trip"
A look at the fascinating and surprising flora to be found on this popular route.
Janne Richardson : “A study of the lifecycle of Aesculus hippocastanum and the preparation required to exhibit at the RHS Botanical Art Exhibition”
Janne's series of 6 horse chestnut paintings for exhibit at the RHS were years in the making. Follow her story.
Pamela Ferns : "Siberian Iris and their history in British Gardens”
What is a Siberian Iris, and how/who introduced them to our gardens from as early as 1597.
Natasha Lloyd : “An introduction to foraging in the Cairngorms”
Looking at plants used for food, cosmetics and medicine.
Autumn Plant Sale
Our Autumn Plant Sale takes place from 10.30am till 12 noon on Saturday 5 October. Hardy shrubs and easy-going herbaceous perennials will be among the types of plants available to buy at very reasonable prices.
All plant donations, clearly labelled, are gratefully received. Please hand plants to the helpers on the day, letting them know if you have brought anything rare or unusual so we can price it accordingly.
Our sales have become increasingly popular and usually sell out, so we advise arriving in good time!
Afternoon Tea with Friends
We had a lovely gathering of around 80 Friends and their family / friends for our summer event. The good weather held and the Garden provided a wonderful setting full of colour and scent.
There was a delicious spread of home baking to choose from and a plant sale courtesy of Richard and Ellen Firmin in aid of the conservation charity, Flora and Fauna.
Many thanks to all who made the event possible and everyone who came along to support it.
Spring Plant Sale
Join us for our Spring plants sale on Saturday the 18th May at the Cruickshank Botanical Garden from 10:30 - 12:00
Caroline Holmes: “Impressionists in their Garden – Living light and colour”
This lecture explores gardens through the senses of the Impressionists. ENTRY IS FREE TO ALL. PLEASE JOIN US.
David Rankin: “The Rocky Road to Chelsea”
How Kevock Nursery prepares an exhibit for Chelsea
John Mattingly: “Cluny after Arwen”
Discovering how the garden at Cluny is recovering two years after Storm Arwen.
Razvan Chisu: “Plants and Castles of Transylvania: (online event)
Discover the amazingly diverse wild plants in woodlands, meadows and high mountains of Transylvania.
Harry Watkins: “The Tangled Bank - how changing the landscape affects the atmosphere of the botanic garden”
The Tangled Bank project in St Andrews Botanic Garden is recreating some of Fife’s most threatened habitats. Drawing inspiration from Darwin, the Tangled Bank will be
an ecologically vibrant place to learn about evolution and botany.
Andrea Britton: "Looking at Lichens - an introduction to lichens and their ecology"
An introduction into the fascinating symbiotic world of lichens, exploring their habitats across Scotland and what lichens can tell us about our environment.
Frazer Henderson: “Kyrgyzstan – In search of wild tulips”
An exploration of Kyrgyzstan in search of tulips and other botanical riches.
Lecture series 2023-4
A Summary of the 2023-24 FCBG Lecture Programme. Lectures are held in UoA Zoology Lecture Theatre between October 2023 - May 2024. Full details for each will be published nearer the event date. A link to the simultaneous Teams broadcast can be obtained on request.
Nancy Stevens: “Delightful, De-lovely & Deranged”
Nancy will take us on a trip around the world looking at the wonderful world of plants: From the super bloom of the Atacama and the Flying Duck Orchid of Australia to the 'Apple of Death' of Central America, the Red Spider Lily of Japan and all points in between.
Autumn Plant Sale
The October Plant Sale (Sat, 7th Oct) will now be held in the ZOOLOGY BUILDING foyer, avoiding the bad weather. Entry via the Cruickshank Gardens only!!
Houseplant Giveaway to Freshers
This year’s Houseplant Giveaway to Freshers in the School of Biological Sciences will take place in the Cruickshank Garden between 12:00 and 14:00 on FRIDAY 15th SEPTEMBER. This has become an annual event now, and is very much anticipated by the students, who are grateful to receive a plant to make their accommodation feel more like home.
We can’t do it without your donations of course!!
Private Garden Visit
A private visit for FCBG members and their guests to the garden of Friend Irene Wischik in Old Aberdeen
Speaker Fergus Garrett - "Designing with Plants the Great Dixter way".
Fergus will talk about connecting to the countryside, and how to combine plants using colour, shape, texture, repetition and punctuation, using Great Dixter and other gardens as examples.
Friends Drinks Reception
Private Drinks & Canapés Party for Friends before the May lecture
Spring Plant Sale
Spring is here. Come along and bag a bargain. Plants are all donated so you can often pick up a rare or choice item. Prices are mostly £1 or £2, unless the plant is large or unusual - even then you can expect to pay only £3 or £4.
Speaker Gavin McNaughton - “Blue is the colour - Big blue poppies and autumn gentians”
Gavin McNaughton, owner of Macplants, will talk about meconopsis and gentians, in which he specialises. He will bring plants for sale.
Speaker Jimmy McRae - “The Tea and Spice Gardens of South India”
Jimmy MacRae is a recently retired nurseryman who has been visiting Kerala, South India, for several years. He will speak about his extensive travels in the tea estates and the exotic spices grown there.
Speaker Colin Belton - “Logan Botanic Garden”
ONLINE ONLY - TEAMS BROADCAST
Due to unforeseen circumstances this lecture will now be given by Colin Belton, the Garden Supervisor at Logan and not Richard Baines (Curator)
Colin’s’s talk will showcase this sub-tropical paradise, known widely as Scotland’s Most Exotic Garden, featuring Southern hemisphere exotics such as Palms, bananas, tree ferns, Proteas and luxurious half hardy perennials.
Speaker Stuart Wale - “A potato miscellany - a global overview of the humble spud”
Dr Stuart Wale is a potato consultant and formerly Dean at the Scottish Agricultural College, Aberdeen.
After working professionally in this area for more than 40 years and over 5 continents, Stuart will share his enthusiasm for the third most important crop in the world.
Speaker Jim Jermyn - “The challenge of growing European alpines”
Jim Jermyn is the Property Manager and Head Gardener at NTS Branklyn Garden.
Areas such as the Maritime Alps can be visited at peak times of the year to view alpines in flower. But how to grow them in the UK? Jim looks at some new and creative approaches.