History of the Garden
A guide book written for the Botanic Garden in the early 1970's tells us:
"The first Botanic Garden in Durham was founded in 1925 when the grounds of the science laboratories where laid out as an experimental garden. As the sciences expanded within the University and more buildings were constructed the garden decreased proportionately, and it was decided in 1969 to move the garden to a new site where it could develop undisturbed and develop an identity of its own"
The Botanic Garden has been on this site since 1970. It was created primarily for teaching and research. As the garden matured a Visitor Centre was built and opened in 1988 by Dame Margot Fonteyn, the Chancellor of the University at the time, to accommodate the 6,000 annual visitors. The garden now attracts over 80,000 visitors annually.
On the tabs below, you can read more about different aspects of the Garden’s history.
The Old Guide
On the right hand side you can download pages from the 1970’s guide book written for visitors to the Botanic Garden. See how much has changed over the years!
- 1970s Guide - Front Cover
- 1970s Guide - Inside Cover
- 1970s Guide - Pages 2 & 3
- 1970s Guide - Pages 4 & 5
- 1970s Guide - Pages 6 & 7
- 1970s Guide - Pages 8 & 9
- 1970s Guide - Pages 10 & 11
- 1970s Guide - Pages 12 & 13
- 1970s Guide - Pages 14 & 15
- 1970s Guide - Page 16
- 1970s Guide - Garden Plan
- 1970 Botanic Garden Guide for download
The 1985 Bird Guide
The following information has been copied from a pamphlet "Birds of the University of Durham Botanic Gardens and Woodland", which was written in 1985 by Kathleen O'Brien. The original pamphlet can be found in Durham University Library.
"It is with much pleasure that we are able to publish this list of birds, carefully prepared by Mrs Kathleen O'Brien, giving at a glance some indication of the wealth of wildlife (apart from the plants) to be found associated with the University Botanic Garden and surrounding woodlands. A more detailed study reveals many as seasonal visitors to the area, doubtlessly encouraged by a management policy now operating in the woodlands for some decades of encouraging our native broadleaved trees and planning operations to encourage the amenity or conservation interests of the area rather that short term financial gain.
"Kathleen is well-known to bird-lovers in the area and hopefully her list will encourage many more potential bird lovers, possibly initially attracted to the area because of the variety of plants cultivated in the Botanic Garden or the beauty of the woodland walks. And it is well known that plant lovers are of course nature lovers in the broader sense. More details about the R.S.P.B. and their valuable work can be had by dropping a note to her at South Lodge, South Road, Durham."
| Common name | Status | Scientific name |
| Grey Heron | Regular visitor | Ardea cinerea |
| Mallard | Breeding resident | Anas Platyrhynchos |
| Sparrowhawk | Resident in the area | Accipiter nisus |
| Kestrel | Resident in the area | Falco tinnunculus |
| Grey partridge | Breeding resident | Perdix perdix |
| Pheasant | Breeding resident | Phasianus colchicus |
| Moorhen | Breeding resident | Gallinula chloropus |
| Lapwing | Breeding resident | Vanellus vanellus |
| Woodcock | Breeding resident | Scolopax rusticola |
| Blackheaded gull | Occur in the area | Larus ridibundus |
| Herring gull | Occur in the area | Larus argentatus |
| Great black-backed gull | Occasional visitor | Larus marinus |
| Stock dove | Breeding resident | Columba oenas |
| Woodpigeon | Common Breeding resident | Columba palumbus |
| Collared dove | Resident. Loves sitting on telegraph wires | Streptopelia decaocto |
| Cuckoo | Summer visitor. More often heard than seen | Cuculus canorus |
| Tawnyowl | Breeding resident | Strix aluco |
| Swift | Summer visitor | Apus apus |
| Great-spotted woodpecker | Regularly seen | Dendrocopos major |
| Skylark | Breeding resident | Alauda arvensis |
| Swallow | A regular summer visitor | Hirundo rustica |
| House martin | A regular summer visitor | Delichon urbica |
| Meadow pipit | Breeding resident | Anthus pratensis |
| Pied wagtail | Resident. Frequents the sewage treatment plant | Motacilla alba |
| Wren | Common Breeding resident | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Dunnock | Common Breeding resident | Prunella modularis |
| Robin | Common Breeding resident | Erithacus rubecula |
| Redstart | Occasional summer visitor | Phoenicurus phoenicurus |
| Blackbird | Common Breeding resident | Turdus meula |
| Fieldfare | Winter visitor | Turdus pilaris |
| Song thrush | Breeding resident | Turdus philomelos |
| Redwing | Winter visitor | Turdus iliacus |
| Mistle thrush | Breeding resident | Turdus viscivorus |
| Sedge warbler | Summer visitor | Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
| Whitethroat | Breeding summer visitor | Sylvia communis |
| Garden warbler | Breeding summer visitor | Sylvia borin |
| Blackcap | Breeding summer visitor. Sometimes over winters | Sylvia atricapilla |
| Chiffchaff | Breeding summer visito. Favours blaids wood area | Phylloscopus collybita |
| Willow warbler | Common breeding summer visitor | Phylloscopus trochilus |
| Goldcrest | Breeding resident | Regulus regulus |
| Spotted flycatcher | Scarce summer visitor | Muscicapa striata |
| Long-tailed tit | Breeding resident | Aegithoalos caudatus |
| Marsh tit | Resident | Parus palustris |
| Willow tit | Resident | Parus montanus |
| Coal tit | Breeding resident | Parus ater |
| Blue tit | Common Breeding resident | Parus Caeruleus |
| Great tit | Common Breeding resident | Parus major |
| Nuthatch | Breeding resident | Sitta europaea |
| Treecreeper | Breeding resident | Certhia familiaris |
| Jay | Breeding resident | Garrulus glandarius |
| Magpie | Common Breeding resident | Pica pica |
| Jackdaw | Common Breeding resident | Corvus monedula |
| Rook | Regular visitor | Corvus frugilegus |
| Carrion crow | Common Breeding resident | Corvus corone |
| Starling | Common Breeding resident | Sturnus vulgaris |
| House sparrow | Common Breeding resident | Passer domesticus |
| Tree sparrow | Breeding resident | Passer montanus |
| Chaffinch | Breeding resident. Joined in winter by visitors from Northern Europe. | Fringilla coelebs |
| Brambling | Winter visitor. Often in flocks with other finches. | Fringilla montifringilla |
| Greenfinch | Breeding resident | Carduelis chloris |
| Goldfinch | Breeding resident | Carduelis carduelis |
| Siskin | Irregular winter visitor. Prefers Alders. | Carduelis spinus |
| Linnet | Breeding resident | Carduelis cannabina |
| Redpoll | Regular visitor | Carduelis flammea |
| Bullfinch | Breeding resident | Pyrrhula pyrrhula |
| Yellowhammer | Breeding resident. Particularly like gorse and hawthorn bushes. | Emberiza citrinella |
"Doubtlessly other species will be seen in the woodlands in the future. If you have news of new observations, please let us know by writing to the Botanic Garden, Hollingside Lane, Durham. We will revise this guide when sufficient new records and observations have been received. Meanwhile this ought not to be regarded as a definitive scientific document, but rather a checklist to inform the interested bird-watcher possibly visiting the garden for the first time"
-Kathleen O'Brien, 1985
This webpage was created by Michael Cooper on 29th December 2006 whilst on work experience from Durham Johnston School (revised 20th December 2013).
The FJR 1915 Headstone
This headstone can be found in a small dell behind the monkey puzzle tree. It was placed there by the Roberts family who once lived in Hollingside House, a short walk away. It is in memory of Major Frederick John Roberts, who is buried in France, at Chocques Military Cemetery.
The 1970’s Glasshouses
The Botanic Garden was initially set up by the Botany Department, its main focus being that of teaching and research. Visitors to the garden today can still see the original plantings in the Cactus and Tropical Houses, but the rest of the glasshouse is now very different. The pictures here show the present day Conservatory and Glassroom sections, as they were in the 1970s when research was the main use of these sections.
Over time, the research methods developed in the greenhouses were used less and less - instead the research was becoming much more 'hi-tech' and specialized 'growth rooms' were being used more. As space became available and visitor numbers were increasing rapidly, the research sections were developed into what you see today.
A special thank you to Paul Sidney for providing these photographs.
The Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre was opened by Dame Margot Fonteyn in July 1988 - shown below with Professor Don Boulter after whom the main room in the Visitor Centre is named. Don was Head of Botany/Biological Sciences at the time.
Download the 1970's Botanic Garden Guide
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