FOR A ‘tree-mendous’ day out during summer, Benmore Botanic Garden is just the thing. Home to towering giant redwoods, colourful rhododendrons, breathtaking mountain views and an abundance of wildlife, the garden offers visitors a packed programme of exhibitions, guided walks and seasonal events throughout the season.
At the heart of the summer programme at Benmore is ‘Pressed for Time’, an exhibition running until August 31 in the Courtyard Gallery. Based on the work of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh’s Herbarium, the exhibition offers visitors an insight into one of the world’s most important collections of preserved plants and fungi. Home to more than 3 million specimens collected over 300 years, the Herbarium is a scientific resource of worldwide importance. Through intriguing specimens and the stories behind them, visitors can discover the role the collection plays in understanding and protecting biodiversity.
Sybil Gray, who coordinates Benmore’s programme of exhibitions, said: “It is always good to have an opportunity to engage with garden visitors in different ways and to promote the wider work of this garden within the context of our parent organisation, the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. In this instance the importance of the Herbarium collection, very much a vibrant part ongoing research and discovery. In particular, I love the children’s activities and the small library section of this exhibition.”
Beyond the exhibitions, visitors can discover Benmore through a selection of guided walks led by knowledgeable staff and volunteers. Regular seasonal walks take place every Sunday and Tuesday, offering the chance to explore the Garden’s remarkable tree collection and seasonal highlights. Visitors looking to slow down and reconnect with nature can also take part in a forest bathing walk on August 30. Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, the guided wellbeing experience encourages participants to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds and scents of the woodland, offering a mindful way to experience Benmore’s magnificent tree collections while promoting relaxation and wellbeing.
Alongside the packed programme of events, Benmore also offers the chance to experience one of Scotland’s most eye-catching woodland gardens. Home to majestic douglas firs, scots pines and monkey puzzle trees, the garden is renowned for its impressive tree collection. Visitors can also explore the quiet victorian fernery, take in panoramic views across Holy Loch and the surrounding mountains.
Luke Senior, curator at Benmore, explained: “Benmore is a great place to come and explore not only plant collections of scientific importance but also wander amongst spectacular landscapes. Interpretation can engage visitors with everything from the massively diverse tiny Atlantic Rainforest mosses and lichens to the towering north American conifers. The garden isn’t just a place for study, it’s a place to relax, to exercise, to passively and actively engage with nature and a place to make memories with friends and family.
“From the manicured ornamental beds, to the landscapes recreating habitats from around the world–there is something for everyone to explore”
