Sheffield Botanical Gardens an 'educational centrepiece for the region'

Sheffield Botanical Gardens have marked the end of an education and engagement project, which has made the site a regional Centre for Horticultural Excellence. 

In 2021, The National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded £144k for an Education and Engagement Project at Sheffield Botanical Gardens, in a partnership between Friends of the Botanical Gardens, Sheffield Botanical Gardens Trust and Sheffield City Council.

Sheffield Botanical Gardens Trust also committed £16k of match funding to the project. 

As a result of the funding, the gardens have become an 'educational centrepiece' for the city and region. 

An extensive education programme has been developed for both local schools and adults and the team working on the project have established an important network of university reseachers, botanical garden networks and other experts, to provide research, experiences, and greater recognition of the site.

As part of the project, a range of new interpretation signage has been installed across the gardens to help visitors understand more about the incredible range of plants and flora on site.

The Sheffield Botanical Gardens is home to a variety of gardens within the park – including the Mediterranean Garden, the Rose Garden and the Rock and Water Garden. These gardens are home to plants from all over the world, which are now signposted across the site.   

There is also a new Plant Adaptation Trail to explore in the Pavilions. This will allow families to learn about how plants adapt to different environments. There are also new boards, which will explain some of the Pavilion’s history and how the gardens came into being.

New signage also includes information on the Air Quality Garden, which is part of the educational offer delivered by the University of Sheffield, on site.

This year also marks the 40th Anniversary of the Friends of the Botanical Gardens, and both the end of the project and the milestone anniversary will be celebrated at an event on Sunday 4th August. Find out more about the event on the FOBG website.