Located by the River Tay, Scotland’s longest river, University of Dundee Botanic Garden has something for everyone. In this blog post I am sharing with you my experience at the garden, what you can do and see there, how to get there as well as things to do nearby.
This blog post is in paid partnership with Discover Scottish Gardens, however all opinions stated are my own.
You can also watch my Youtube video about the garden below.
About
The ticket price is £5 or if you are a student with a valid student ID, it’s free to get in. You can find out more about prices and opening times on their website.
How to get there
I got the bus X54 from Ferrytoll P&R, however it is quite easy to get to Dundee from most places in Scotland. The journey took about an hour and a half.
Once you get to Dundee, you can get the local bus 16 or 73 from the bus station to the garden which takes about 10 minutes.
Things to do and see in the garden
When I got there, I was immediately welcomed by the friendly receptionist who gave me some very useful information about the garden including its history and some fun facts, and gave me a map of the garden.
In the nine and a half acres of garden and foliage, there is a large variety of things to see. I loved walking through the different “continents” where I saw plants from all over the world, from the Mediterranean to New Zealand to the local area. I also spotted a red squirrel running around.
Each “continent” had the cutest little painted doors with animals from there. There were also signs everywhere with interesting facts and the history of the garden.
One of my favourite things was how many beautiful spots there are to sit and relax, including the little tunnel which you can see in the photo below. A hot drink, a book, and being surrounded by nature and the winter sun, what more could I want.
Around the garden, there were lovely views of the river Tay as well as Tayside Aviation where I got to see some of the planes landing and taking off.
Even during winter, everything is bright and colourful and makes it a great place to escape the winter blues. There are loads of different trails to take around the garden and there is even a children’s playground.
After walking around for a couple of hours, I ended up at the glass house. It was so nice and warm inside and there were really interesting things to see such as the curry corner and the coffee beans as well as the Scottish carnivorous plants.
Before leaving the garden, I had some lunch at the garden’s cafe where I had a baked potato with beans and a carrot and coriander soup.
Things to do nearby
There are many things to do in Dundee, from walking trails to museums and art galleries. Some of the attractions include the V&A Dundee, Mills Observatory, Science Centre, HMS Unicorn, RRS Discovery, and McManus Art Gallery and Museum.
You can also see the famous Dundee Penguins.
Before getting on the bus, I stopped at Serendipities, a 100% vegan coffee shop on Union Street. Their peach sponge pudding served with custard tasted incredible as well as their creme brûlée hot chocolate, topped with Biscoff cookie & cream.
Planning your trip
When I was planning my trip, it was really helpful to go on the Discover Scottish Gardens’ website and use their search tool. You can search by region, seasonal highlights, openings, and highlights such as woodland, autumn colours, snowdrops, water gardens, etc. That’s how I found this garden. I searched for Dundee and then “open in winter” and a few different gardens came up. It’s a great way to get ideas of where to visit as there are many places you might not know about.
The Snowdrop Festival has also started and has events in many public gardens up until the 11th March. You can find out more about its events and dates on their website.
I had a lovely time wandering around the garden and it’s definitely a great place for a day out, whether you go alone or to meet up with friends and family. Even though it’s a busy city, when you are in the garden it feels like you are in a different world. You can find out more about the garden and other ideas for days out on Discover Scottish Gardens website and Instagram.
You can also follow me on Instagram @marisa.vogiatzi for more travel content, travelling on public transport and budget travel tips.
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