Why not join us for one of unique Garden Safaris to take a closer look at the Zoo’s botanical gardens?
Tour 1: Natural habitats – fairly flat, duration 1-2 hours
This walk starts in the Brookside aviary and continues through the woodland areas around the big cats and cassowaries. This area is managed to mimic the natural habitats of the animals. The walk then goes through the wetland area to find out how native plants and natural vegetation are used to create a natural habitat for the gorillas and how herbs are used for animal enrichment. The walk concludes with a look at the Mediterranean Garden with plants from five geographical areas and ends at the Island Restaurant.
Highlights of the tour: use of native plants to re-create natural habitats, swamp cypress, Chusan fan palm, Banksia, Chilean wine palm, protea and culinary herbs.
Tour 2: Garden Safari – some hills, duration 1½-2½ hours
This walk includes Reptile Tropics, the Desert House, Mediterranean Garden, Economic Garden, Monkey Heights, Medicinal Garden and Baboon Rock. The tour will touch on subjects such as the Zoo as a botanical garden, the history of the plant collection and some of the buildings encountered on the way. It will also cover habitat themes, different climates, the processes of adaptation and convergent evolution and pest species.
Highlights of the tour: Chusan fan palm, gunnera, banana, cycad, giant bamboo, agave, aloe, cacti, pagoda tree, apothecary’s rose, foxglove tree, the Japanese raisin tree and ginkgo.
A member of the Zoo’s Gardens Department will be your guide on the Garden Safari. The length of the Garden Safari can be altered to suit your group’s needs.
Booking details
The tours run throughout the year and can be arranged for groups of 15 or more. Please contact the Group Sales Co-ordinator either by telephone on 01803 697515 or by email.
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