Spring Plant Sale
Come on down to our biannual plant sale at the Cruickshank!
Plants are provided by Friends, the Garden and others in the local community. Knowledgeable Friends are on hand to give advice, and the sale often provides plants uniquely suitable for the North East climate.
Prices start at only £2 per plant, cash and card both accepted. Cruickshank merchandise is also available for purchase. All sales go to support the continued care and development of the Garden. Indoor or outdoor plant donations are welcome.
Delivery instructions for donated plants are given below but any questions about the sale or delivery of plants, please contact Stuart Wale at stuart.wale@btinternet.com.
Getting to the Garden
The Garden is located along Chanonry Road, just north of campus. Entry via the iron gate on the lefthand side of the road. Follow signs along the walking path to the northside of the Garden. Weather depending, the sale will be on the patio on the northside or in the lobby of the Zoology building.
Delivery of Donated Plants
Thursday/Friday the 14th/15th from 9am to 2pm or Saturday 16th before 10am
Enter via the gate on St Machar Drive and take plants to the Nursery Area. You will need to go through the security gate next to the blue Summerhouse. Place plants on the area of rough ground behind the left gate just as you enter the Nursery Area.
If you have a heavy load to deliver, drive to the blue Summerhouse with great caution, heeding the 5mph restriction and with your hazard lights on. Plants must then be carried towards the Nursery Area.
Andy Taylor: Fungi
The last lecture of the FCBG 2025/6 series will take place on Thursday 21st May at 7.30pm in the Zoology Lecture Theatre, Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, AB24 2TZ.
The lecture will be given by Dr Andy Taylor of the James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen and will be entitled: ‘The importance of fungi for healthy plants’. This lecture will also form part of the local 2026 Fascination of Plants week programme and will be open for the general public to attend.
The lecture will explain that fungi are essential but often overlooked components of all terrestrial ecosystems. From the very first colonisation of land by rooted plants, fungi have been critically involved in nutrient acquisition and water uptake by plants. The intimate interactions between two completely different kingdoms of biodiversity have shaped our world and the ecosystems around us for the past 420 million years. This talk will explore some of these interactions and their consequences for plants and all terrestrial biodiversity, including our gardens.
Andy is an ecosystem ecologist interested in the interactions between plants and soil biodiversity, in particular the roles of fungi in ecosystems. He has worked in various ecosystems across the planet, from lowland tropical rainforests to high alpine and tundra habitats. Current projects include the first survey of Scottish alpine soils biodiversity which involves citizen science volunteers collecting samples from all the Munros in Scotland and then identifying the soil biodiversity they contain using DNA barcodes.
Fascination of Plants Day 2026
This is a listing for the event in Duthie Park. Further events will be posted as they are confirmed.
Founded in 2012, Fascination of Plants Day has become a global movement with organisations across 56 countries taking part in the biennial celebration, encouraging people around the globe to be fascinated by the wonder of plants and consider their huge importance in our lives, as well as the wider environment.
The programme for this year's Aberdeen Fascination of Plants Day runs from 18-24 May. A series of events across the city will highlight the importance of plants to society, ranging from plant sales to workshops exploring the impact of plants in our everyday lives. Through these events we will explore the huge range of biodiversity that depends on our plants and how plants themselves interact with animals and fungi to improve the diets and health of humans and animals. The programme provides a range of fun and interesting events across several local venues. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved and find out more about the many thousands of plant species that exist and how we use them in everyday life.
Organisations running events include the University of Aberdeen, SRUC, James Hutton Institute, Friends of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden, Friends of Duthie Park, and the Duthie Park Ranger Service.
The HandleBards - Macbeth
Tickets available at the troupe’s website: https://www.handlebards.com/show/macbeth-cruickshank-botanic-garden/
Join the troupe at Cruickshank Botanic Garden for a hilariously high-octane production of Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ like you’ve never seen before. Forget the tears and tragedy, our Macbeth is chock full of mishaps, mayhem and mirth.
We all know the story. Three Witches promise Macbeth the Scottish crown and like any normal people would, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth plot to kill the king. Things get rapidly out of hand from there as foul deeds are done, plots unravel and mysterious spirits appear…
Suitable for all ages and apparitions.
The HandleBards are an intrepid three-strong troupe spending the summer touring Macbeth by electric van, bringing environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK.
This is an outdoor production, so please bring a chair or blanket to sit on, a picnic to dig into, and dress for the weather!
Praise for previous HandleBards performances…
★★★★★ – “Explodes with energy and is a genuine treat from start to finish.” – The Stage
★★★★★ – “Five stars just don’t seem enough…” – The Sunderland Echo
Notes on Performance
Doors open at 5:30pm, so bring a picnic and come and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
Seating isn’t provided by the venue so please make sure to bring your own – chairs, picnics, blankets and any other low-backed accessories are welcome.
In case of rain, please don’t bring umbrellas as they block sight-lines for other audience members. Ponchos and raincoats are just as fetching, so please wear these instead.
This is an outdoors performance and surfaces may be uneven. There is level access through the gardens to the performance space. On-street parking is limited but some may be available near the St Machar Cathedral (200m) or on Tillydrone Avenue (500m) – if you have any access related questions ahead of the performance please get in touch!
Important Ticket Conditions – Please Read
Tickets will also be available to purchase on the day at the venue for £21 each, subject to availability. If the show sells out in advance then tickets may not be available on the door so early booking is encouraged!
You can bring your tickets digitally, on a phone or tablet, so save the trees and please don’t print them.
Bryce Reynard: Plants and Pollinators
Expert skep-maker and award-winning beekeeper, Bryce Reynard, will be joining us to speak on his decades of experience in producing top-notch honey through careful selection of pollinator-friendly plants.
Crathes Castle - A garden of change with James Hannaford
James has been involved in professional horticulture for 32 years now, starting with an apprenticeship at the MacRobert Trust in Tarland in 1993. After that, he attended both Clinterty College, Aberdeen & Askham Bryan College in York. James spent a short time working in commercial landscaping before starting with the National Trust for Scotland in 1999 at Castle Fraser. From there, he went to work at Inverewe garden, Wester Ross, where he spent nearly 16 years before returning to the North-East to become head gardener at Crathes in 2017.
The talk will be about the about both the historical & contemporary journey of the garden, how it has been, throughout its 400 year history a place which has always embraced the changing styles & fashions of horticulture led by the owners, head gardeners & staff, and how this continues to shape & guide the garden today & into the future.
Snowdrops...just one more.
Snowdrops…just one more.
Speaker(s): Helen Rushton
Description: Helen Rushton is a galanthophile and owner of Bruckhills Croft near Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire which she opens as part of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme. Helen holds a National Plant Collection of Galanthus and are a registered Plant Passport seller of snowdrops. Helen is also coordinator for Scotland’s Gardens Scheme in Aberdeenshire.
Her lecture is a story of how a chance find of a clump of innocent snowdrops on her derelict croft when she first moved in in 1991, lead to an obsession that means we now have a national Plant Collection of about 600 Galanthus, and where there is always room for... just one more.
George Anderson: My Life in Horticulture
We’re very pleased to welcome George Anderson for his talk on his life in horticulture.
Born into a family of keen gardeners and his Father and Uncle both being Market Gardeners its no surprise when George left School he became a Gardeners' Boy. In 1966 he became the Head of School of Horticulture at The Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh he remained in this role for nearly 38 years before retiring in 2004. George became a presenter on Beechgrove in 2005 or Beechgrove Garden as it was known then.
As always, these lectures are free for members. Non-members are welcome to join for a small donation of £3, which goes to support the Friends.
*Please note, this lecture is on Teams only*
*CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS *Gardening the Globe - The Horticulture of Commonwealth War Graves
Neil Cameron is a volunteer speaker for the Commonwealth War Graves Foundation and will give a talk on Gardening the Globe. This presentation looks at how the CWGC's plots and graves are enhanced by the horticulture, looking at the early influences on their design and the challenges faced with climate change. Neil will share how the CWGC's horticulture design and maintenance is influenced by the climate and the different circumstances of the cemeteries around the world.
Neil is keen to stress he is no expert gardener and will look for audience participation during the talk!
As with all our lectures, the event will take place at the Zoology Building Lecture Theatre at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ. Entry is free for members of the Friends. Non-members are welcome to join for a £3 donation to help support the lecture series and the Garden. Refreshments are provided afterwards, and Friends are encouraged to socialise and have the opportunity to chat to the speaker.
Woodland Plants and Peonies
Billy Carruthers from Binny Nursery will be joining us to discuss woodland plants and peonies. Binny Nursery has been growing hardy perennial plants for 29 years in what used to be the old walled kitchen garden of the Binny Estate near Edinburgh. It has been featured in Gardens Illustrated's 100 best plant nurseries in the UK who said, "Billy Carruthers is mad about peonies and has over 300 varieties on the nursery. In recent years he's exhibited them at the Chelsea Flower Show.”
As with all our lectures, the event will take place at the Zoology Building Lecture Theatre at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ. Friends attend for free, non-members are £3. There will be tea and light refreshments available for donation.
The Seed Box - Horticultural Training and Outdoor Therapy for People with Additional Support Needs
Belinda Rowlands & Joanne Harmon will be joining us to talk about their group, Seed Box.
The Seed Box is a social enterprise that aims to improve the social, emotional and physical health of its co-workers through horticultural and outdoor activities. Belinda writes:
“Join us as we share the story of The Seed Box – what we do, how it all began, and the journey of growth along the way. From small beginnings to where we are today, we’ll reflect on the ideas, challenges, and community that have shaped The Seed Box into what it is now.”
As a teenager in Liverpool, Belinda volunteered at a school for learning disabilities. She loved the environment and the benefits to the students that were there, and the head teacher was an inspiration for her as well. She then went into agriculture, and was a shepherdess for 20 years. She had never forgotten her volunteering experience, and always wanted to do something like that. Once her children started school, she saw that as an opportunity and started working with learning disabilities again. In 2013, with the help of her husband Peter, Belinda started The Seed Box. From there it has grown exponentially and Belinda has recently received the British Empire Medal for her work.
As with all our lectures, the event will take place at the Zoology Building Lecture Theatre at the University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Ave, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ. Lectures are hybrid with Microsoft Teams link sent to Friends via email before the event.
*CANCELLED DUE TO STORM* Autumn Plant Sale - 4th October 2025
The Autumn plant sale is on the horizon in early October and the hope is to repeat the success of the spring sale. Our spring plant sale raised £1838 to support the work of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden. This was a record for one of our sales and helped in no small measure towards funding for a summer gardener. A brilliant sunny day and a bumper number of plants on sale made a big difference. The Botanic Garden certainly needs as much support as possible at the moment.
Continued success of our plant sales depends on donations of plants to sell. Whilst we rely on plant donations from members gardens, we are happy also to receive plants from other sources.
So, whilst you are busy tidying your beds after the long hot summer how about lifting and splitting some of those overgrown perennials? Or maybe there are some self-sown seedlings that could be potted up? We aim to have on sale plants of all types: annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, veg, herbs and even indoor plants. But all will be suited to growing in north-east Scotland.
Delivery instructions for donated plants are given below but if there are any questions about the plant sale or delivery of plants, please contact Stuart Wale at stuart.wale@btinternet.com .
Delivery of Donated Plants
Friday 3 October from 9am to 2pm or Saturday 4 October before 10am
Enter via the gate on St Machar Drive. Please take plants to the Nursery Area. You will need to go through the security gate next to the Friends Summerhouse. Place plants on the area of rough ground behind the left gate just as you enter the Nursery Area, between the orange traffic cones.
If you have a heavy load to deliver, you may drive to the Friends Summerhouse with great caution, heeding the 5mph restriction and with your hazard lights on. Plants must then be carried towards the Nursery Area.
Freshers plant giveaway
Calling all biology first years!
The Friends of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden would like to help you brighten up your accomodation with a free houseplant! Just come on down to the Cruickshank on Wednesday 17th September from 12.00 to 13.30.
If you would like to donate a plant to the giveaway, please bring it to the Garden on Tuesday 16th September 0800-1300 or from 10:30 on the 17th.
Doug Boatman : "The best plants I have grown"
Doug Boatman, owner of Scotplants, will talk about the very best plants he has grown over the past 40 years.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.