‘Plant Power’ is an annual event held at the University of Dundee Botanic Garden. This year, staff at the Garden worked with the University’s School of Life Sciences (Division of Plant Sciences and Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research/Drug Discovery Unit), Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science and the James Hutton Institute to create an exciting day of activity focused on plants. Our science activities were:
- Pop-up Medicinal Garden (WCAIR/DDU)
- Meiosis and Chromosomes
- DNA extraction
- Plants and Pathogens
- 5 barley-related activities covering the themes Healthy Plants, Sustainable Farming, Climate Change, Fertilisers and Genome Improvement
- Forensic Investigations (LRCFS)
- Pond dipping
- Face Painting by scientists who chatted about plants and their research

Pond dipping at University of Dundee Botanic Garden
Art and Nature Collective Craft Fair featured ten artists from the collective with stalls showcasing and selling their works. Two members of the Collective ran the following workshops ‘Paint with plants’, with artist Jenny Blair and ‘Pause. Look Closer. See Differently. A Mindful Photography Workshop’ with photographer Kelly McIntyre. There was a Green Gallery Exhibition – ‘Strange Worlds’, an exhibition of screen-printed works by Jen McAlinden.

Jen McAlinden hosting drawing session for children
Friends of the Botanic Garden ran their Plant Sale. Maxwell Community Garden talked about Community Gardening in Dundee promoting the types of activities that they do in the garden and how they grow food. There were Bird, Moth and Bat Demos from the Dundee Naturalists. As well as basket weaving and pond dipping demonstrations.

Maxwell Community Garden
We welcomed over 720 visitors to the garden over the day. The fantastic weather made it a wonderful event and encouraged visitors to stay and explore the wider gardens.
Feedback included:
- “The science experiments / learning about barley / the students and organisers attending the stalls – great enthusiasm, very knowledgeable and clearly wanted to be there, the children had the best time.”
- “My girls had a great time with the different stalls especially the one about pollen. Staff on stalls were really engaging and brought the science to life.”
- “Interactive and fun. Free which is very helpful. Informative and engaging.”
You can access activities from this and previous years’ events. Check it out: https://www.dundee.ac.uk/botanic/plant-power-resources
This event was supported with funding from BBSRC and the Leverhulme Trust.