Cambridge University Botanic Garden

Date posted: 1 November 1999

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Last updated: 30 December 2018 - this entry is more than a year old, for details on how to update click here

	PlantNetwork member
Address and contact details
	1 Brookside, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB2 1JF
	Tel: 01223 336265
	Fax: 01223 336278
	Email: enquiries@botanic.cam.ac.uk
	Web site: www.botanic.cam.ac.uk
	Latitude: 52° 11' 46" N
	Longitude: 00° 7' 24" E
Background to the collection
Year founded:	1762 (1846 on present site)
Ownership:	University of Cambridge
Garden code:	CGG
Umbrella organisation:	PlantNetwork, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens
Personnel
Director:	Professor Beverley Glover
Curator:	Dr Sam Brockington
Plant Records Officer:	Pete Atkinson
Head of Education:	Felicity Plent
Education Officer:	Dr Judy Fox
Education Officer:	Dr Sally Marsh
Head of Horticulture:	Mrs Sally Petitt
Development Officer:	Mrs Juliet Day
Administration:	Wendy Godfrey
Contact person:	Pete Atkinson
Total Staff:	53 or (40 FTE)
Total Horticultural Staff:	21
Policies
Accessions:	Formal policy in development
Collections:	Formal policy in development
Physical environment
Altitude:	10 m
Soil type:	Riverine silts and sands overlying chalk marl and clay
Aspect:	Mostly flat
Total area:	16 ha
Area heated:	0.5 ha
Other sites of collection:	Free School Lane – Remnant of previous site c.10x3m.
Weather records	Records are kept
Temperature
Average daily:	10.2 °C
Av. monthly max:	23.2 °C (30 year average)
Av. monthly min:	4.2 °C (1971-2000)
Absolute maximum:	36.9 °C (10/08/2003)
Absolute minimum:	-18.1 °C
Wind
Direction:	Southwest
Strength:	Below average
Rainfall
Average annual:	557 mm (30 year average)
Month of maximum:	July-August
Month of minimum:	February-March
Plant collection
Families:	287
Genera:	1,895
Species:	6,770
Taxa:	8,500
Accessions:	12,026
Plants:	14,795
Notable plants within the collection:
	14 Champion trees. Maclura pomifera, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Liquidamber orientalis, Pterocarya fraxinifolia, Juglans nigra, Strongylodon macrobotrys, Pinus nigra
Geographical area(s) of specialisation:
	Northern Europe, Middle Europe, Southwestern Europe, Southeastern Europe, East Europe, Caucasus, Western Asia, Southwestern USA, South-Central USA, Southeastern USA.
Special genera within the collections:
	Betula, Carex, Ephedra, Sorbus (British microspecies), Tilia, Alchemilla, Bergenia, Fritillaria, Geranium, Lonicera, Ribes, Ruscus, Saxifraga, Rosmarinus, Lavandula, Tulipa
Special collections:
	Saxifraga, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 116 taxa Tulipa, PlantHeritage National Plant Collection – 87 taxa Lonicera, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 106 taxa Ribes, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 38 taxa Ruscus, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 8 taxa Fritillaria, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 103 taxa Geranium, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 170 taxa Bergenia, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 33 taxa Alchemilla, Plant Heritage National Plant Collection – 37 taxa Malus, IPGRI – 22 taxa
TARGET 8 SPECIES:
TARGET 8 PROJECT TAXON LIST       UK Red Data List 2005 SAP lead partner WELSH Red Data List 2008 IRISH Red Data List 1987 IRISH Red Data List 2005 TARGET 8 PROJECT datasheet Garden(s) Gentianella anglica Early Gentian B W Wait UKSAP VU Wildlife Trusts Plantlife Cambridge BG Senecio paludosus Fen Ragwort B CR T8 Cambridge University Botanic Garden
Record Keeping:	Kept since 1879 Computerised
Record System:	IrisBG
Phenological records:	No
Plant-collecting trips:	International and national
Facilities on site
Herbarium:	Yes. Code CGE in Index Herbariorum, Garden Material
Library:	11 000 items, public access by appointment, Cory Library
Research facilities:	Cory Laboratories (demolished 2008). Experimental glasshouse range in part operated by the Garden. Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University is hosted on site and formally opened in April 2011 – see www.slcu.cam.ac.uk. Plant growth facility hosted on site for Department of Plant Sciences.
Publications:	Garden catalogue. Other publications: Visitors Guide (2002), numerous leaflets: Winter walk, dry garden, composting. Special issue of Curtis's Botanical Magazine 23 (Feb 2006).
Identifications:	Internal verification of material
Teaching and Education:	University teaching; Schools programme, primary and secondary, specialist taxonomic courses. Education programme encompassing horticulture, plant identification, arts & crafts, botanical art, basketry.
Interpretation:	Interpretative panels (permanent and temporary); leaflets; guided walks; guide book; map.
Friends Organisation:	Yes
Visitor facilities:	Café (new 2011), gift shop (new 2009).
Access to the collections
Access conditions:	Collections are publicly accessible. To carry out research work or request material, please contact the Director.
Public access:	Admission charge
Visitors per year:	257,758 (2015)
Public opening hours:	The Garden opens daily at 10am. January, November + December: 10am–4pm February, March + October: 10am–5pm April – September: 10am–6pm
Guiding principles behind the collection
	(From statement of purpose): The Botanic Gardens holds the research and teaching collection of living plants for the University of Cambridge, a herbarium collection, and the Cory library of horticultural and taxonomic works. Its fundamental purpose is to make these collections accessible for the current generation and to maintain them for future generations.
Location map

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