University of Bristol Botanic Garden, Bristol

The University of Bristol Botanic Garden, formerly located at two different sites in Bristol, is now situated in Stoke Bishop. It houses 4,500 plant species grouped into collections based on evolution, Mediterranean plants, local flora, rare natives, and useful plants.

Originally established in 1882 at Royal Fort House, the botanic garden was later known as the Hiatt Baker Garden. In 1959, the garden was moved to Bracken Hill in Leigh Woods near the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The Bracken Hill site had been established in 1886 by Melville Wills. During World War II, it served as a crucial location for plant pathology and government agricultural services.

In 2005, the botanic collections found their new home at The Holmes in Stoke Bishop, which features greenhouses divided into different zones for various plant species. The garden offers tours, visits, horticultural talks, and courses.

Notable displays in the garden include the evolution collection, Mediterranean plants from multiple continents, and local flora and a rare-native collection featuring unique species found in the Avon Gorge, Mendip Hills, Somerset Levels, and surrounding areas. Additionally, there are displays of useful plants, including herb gardens with medicinal species.

Furthermore, the Botanic Garden, in collaboration with the Arnolfini Gallery, has established a floating ballast-seed garden on an old barge in Bristol Harbour.