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Fascination of Plants Day 2023

Fascination of Plants Day takes place globally on May 18, encouraging people to be fascinated by the wonder of plants and their huge importance in our lives and wider environment.

On this page

Overview

Aren’t plants amazing?! So often overlooked, plants provide so much to our world. From one little seed, planted in soil, so much diversity can arise. From tiny herbs, to giant trees; from beautiful flowers to decorate our gardens to substantial crops that feed the world; from producing oxygen to holding our soils together; plants provide so much which humans and all other animals rely on to survive.

Fascination of Plants Day takes place around the world each year on the May 18 and encourages 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.

Here in Aberdeen, a range of organisations are getting together to run events to celebrate the wonderful plants all around us.


2023 Events

Spring Plant Sale

Saturday 13 May, 10:30 – 12:00

Cruickshank Botanic Garden

Run by Friends of Cruickshank Botanic Garden

Spring is here - come along and bag a bargain! Plants are all donated so you can often pick up a rare or choice item. Prices are mostly £1 or £2, unless the plant is large or unusual - even then you can expect to pay only £3 or £4.

Noel Pritchard Memorial Lecture

Thursday 18 May, 19:30 – 20:30

Zoology Building Lecture Theatre

Run by Friends of Cruickshank Botanic Garden

Speaker - Fergus Garrett “Designing with Plants the Great Dixter way"

Aberdeen Fascination of Plants Day Public Event 2023

Sunday 21 May, 12:00 – 16:00

Cruickshank Botanic Gardens

University of Aberdeen - Diversity in The Cruickshank Botanic Garden

The Cruickshank Botanic Garden was founded 125 years ago, and exists to promote an appreciation of the beauty, diversity and importance of plants, and an understanding of their role in the natural world. In the collection we have a huge number of different flowering plants. Join staff from the University of Aberdeen to explore the diversity of shapes, colours and adaptions shown by the plants in the gardens and also discover the huge diversity of animals the flowers support.

The James Hutton Institute - Magnificent Mosses

Scientists from The James Hutton Institute will introduce the world of Magnificent Mosses. Did you know that mosses are some of the oldest plant species on the planet and have been around for 450 million years – long before the dinosaurs? Or that there are around 20,000 species of mosses across the globe and they can be found on every continent and in almost every habitat, from scorching deserts to freezing mountain tops? In this hands-on workshop we will explore the adaptations which allow mosses to survive in a diverse range of environments, investigate how mosses store water, and look at some of the threats they face.

Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) - Plant Diversity in Agricultural Systems

Agricultural crops help to feed the world’s population. Growing them efficiently to provide good yields and quality whilst encouraging beneficial environmental stewardship is a balance all farmers are tasked with. A diverse range of plants in both time (rotation) and location (different scales) can help achieve this balance. Colleagues from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will demonstrate a number of these factors and explain how they are interlinked, including the use of N fixing legumes and multi-species grassland which can improve soil structure and quality or improve the diets and health of the animals eating them. The diversity of weed and hedgerow species will also be used to demonstrate their importance for the insects feeding on them as well as higher up the ecological food-chain.

Aberdeen City Council Duthie Park Ranger Service - Amazing Trees

Come and meet the Duthie Park Rangers and learn all about our amazing trees and why they are important! Put your identification skills to the test and learn how to identify trees by their leaves, seeds and even buds! Children can also make a necklace out of a wooden medallion – but first can you count the rings on it to see how old it is?

Aberdeen Science Centre - Amazing World of Plants    

Join Aberdeen Science Centre’s team exploration of the amazing world of plants! From sorting different plant parts to having a close-up look and chatting about plant diversity, there will be something for everyone.

Robert Gordon University (RGU) - The Power of Plants

Join scientists from Robert Gordon University learning all about the power of plants and their diverse defence mechanisms from thorns and spikes to bitter tasting compounds.  Come and find out if you are a ‘super taster’ and whether you might have the bitter-tasting version of the TAS2R38 gene.

University of Aberdeen - Diversity in The Cruickshank Botanic Garden

The Cruickshank Botanic Garden was founded 125 years ago, and exists to promote an appreciation of the beauty, diversity and importance of plants, and an understanding of their role in the natural world. In the collection we have a huge number of different flowering plants. Join staff from the University of Aberdeen to explore the diversity of shapes, colours and adaptions shown by the plants in the gardens and also discover the huge diversity of animals the flowers support.


Find out more

A full list of events around the globe, along with more information about the Fascination of Plants Day, can be found at the official website:

You can also find more information about the School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences at RGU.

The Duthie Park Ranger Service provides a range of nature themed educational resources to schools. Find more information and contact details:

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