The National Botanic Garden of Wales is set to celebrate a significant milestone this month on May 24th, as it marks 25 years since opening to the public at the turn of the new millennium. The Garden has since grown into a globally recognised centre for biodiversity, conservation, horticulture, education and wellbeing. Established as a flagship Millennium project, the National Botanic Garden of Wales was one of the first new botanical gardens to be created in the UK in almost 200 years.
It gained international recognition for the innovative Norman Foster designed Great Glasshouse which, at the time, was the world’s largest single-span glasshouse, lauded for both its environmental design and seamless integration into the rural Welsh landscape.
Among the Garden’s most notable contributions to science is a ground breaking Welsh Flora DNA barcoding initiative, which made Wales the first country in the world to DNA barcode all native flowering plants and conifer species. The resulting open-access database, which covers over 1,473 native plants, continues to support global research and conservation efforts and has been replicated worldwide.
Dr Lucy Sutherland, Director for the National Botanic Garden of Wales, said: “As we celebrate a quarter of a century of the National Botanic Garden of Wales, we reflect on a remarkable journey of conservation, education, and connection with the natural world around us.”
To commemorate its 25th anniversary, a special Garden Party will be held over the late May Bank Holiday weekend (Saturday 24th – Sunday 25th May), offering a packed programme of live entertainment, family-friendly activities, and a vibrant showcase of Welsh music and culture. Admission prices on the Saturday will also be rolled back to year 2000 rates – £6.50 for adults and £3 for children.
