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.
Founded in 2012, Fascination of Plants Day has become a global movement with organisations across 56 countries taking part in the biennial celebration, encouraging 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.
The programme for this year's Aberdeen Fascination of Plants Day runs from 12-18 May. A series of events across the city will highlight the importance of plants to society, ranging from plant sales to workshops exploring the impact of plants in our everyday lives. Through these events we will explore the huge range of biodiversity that depends on our plants and how plants themselves interact with animals and fungi to improve the diets and health of humans and animals. The programme provides a range of fun and interesting events across several local venues. There are opportunities for everyone to get involved and find out more about the many thousands of plant species that exist and how we use them in everyday life.
Organisations running events include the University of Aberdeen, SRUC, James Hutton Institute, Friends of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden, Friends of Duthie Park, and the Duthie Park Ranger Service.
Venues include the David Welch Witner Gardens at Duthie Park, the Zoology Building at the University of Aberdeen, and the Cruickshank Botanic Garden.
2025 Events
Lecture by Doug Boatman: "The best plants I have grown"
- When: Thursday 15 May 19:30-20:30
- Where: Zoology Building, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Road, Aberdeen
- Run by: Friends of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden
In this last FCBG lecture for the 2024/5 season, Doug Boatman, owner of Scotplants, will talk about the very best plants he has grown over the past 40 years.
Spring Plant Sale
- When: Saturday 17 May 10:30-12:00
- Where: Cruikshank Botanic Garden, St Machar Drive, Aberdeen
- Run by: Friends of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden
Our plant sales, spring and autumn, get better and better and have become highlights of the Friends of Cruikshank Botanic Garden yearly events. Whether you have a new garden to plant up or just a gap in an established garden you will be able to find something to buy and at very reasonable prices.
Aberdeen Fascination of Plants Day Public Event 2025
- When: Sunday 18 May 10:30-15:30
- Where: David Welch Winter Gardens, Duthie Park
- Run by: See individual activities below.
Duthie Park Ranger Service – The Power of Seeds
Join the Duthie Park Rangers and learn all about the power of seeds! Test your seed knowledge and plant something in your own handcrafted paper pot made out of old newspapers! Children can learn what plants need to grow and why they are important, and can make a craft too!
Friends of Duthie Park – Breaking the code
Take part in a hands-on science experiment to investigate what makes a strawberry a strawberry. Led by a member of the Friends of Duthie Park committee and honorary RGU lecturer, this DNA extraction experiment will help you become a code breaker!
The James Hutton Institute - Fabulous Forests
Forests and woodlands are a key feature of our Scottish landscapes, but they are much more than just trees! Come and get hands on with the help of scientists from the James Hutton Institute, to investigate the huge range of biodiversity to be found in our native forests. We will explore what lichens can tell us about the air we breathe, look at mosses and microhabitats, and show the benefits that we all derive from forests.
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.
University of Aberdeen - What's the point of plants?
Exciting workshop from scientists at the University of Aberdeen show-casing displays and activities on the ways that plants interact with animals and fungi to deliver the products and services needed to sustain our lives, including the importance of pollination, seed dispersal and nutrient uptake.