St Andrews Botanic Gardens

St Andrews Botanic Gardens

Botany,Natural History,Photography

St Andrews Botanic Gardens, founded in 1889, is the third oldest botanic garden in Scotland. Originally built at St. Mary’s College by University of St Andrews, the gardens moved to the current site in 1962. The present Botanic Garden is an 18-acre site that contains over 8000 species of both native and exotic plants. It also includes beautiful places such as a rock garden and has accommodated local wildlife such as red squirrels. The principal founder, John Hardie Wilson (1858-1920), was an eminent botanist who specialised in disease-resistant varieties of crops and fruits, especially potatoes. His potato varieties remained influential long after his death. He received many honours for his contribution to Botany and Horticulture, including being elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1891. It was alleged that it was his work of maintaining the Botanic Gardens during WW1, largely single-handedly, that contributed to his death.

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Canongate, St Andrews KY16 8RT

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