Plant Power 2026

Description

'Plant Power’ is an annual event held at the University of Dundee Botanic Garden.

This year the event was part of Fascination of Plants Day organised by the European Plant Science Organisation (EPSO).

They state: 'The goal of this activity is to get as many people as possible around the world fascinated by plants and enthused about the importance of plant science for agriculture and sustainable production of nutritious food, as well as for horticulture, forestry and the production of plant-based non-food products such as paper, timber, chemicals, energy and pharmaceuticals.'

This year, staff at the Garden have worked with the University’s Faculty of Life Sciences, Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic Science and the James Hutton Institute to create an exciting day of activity focussed on plants. Science activities were:
- Legumes display
- Basic Horticulture (tomato transplanting)
- DNA extraction
- Plants and Pathogens
- Camelina and aviation fuel
- Plant epigenetics
- Forensic Investigations
- Face Painting

The Botanic Garden ran an activity called the Tree Detective Game which took visitors around the garden.

We were joined by external organisations and groups as well. They were:

- Dr David Martin and Dr David Lampard shared the wonders of local wildlife including how the bird detector in the garden is helping us learn what bird life is visiting as well as showing visitors what moths they caught overnight.
- Dundee Naturalist Society answered nature-related questions
- Maxwell Community Garden will be promoted GROW Dundee, the community garden network across the city. They also showcased the types of activities that they do in the garden and how they grow food.
- Eco-Dundee, a group aiming for Dundee to be chemical pesticide free city.
- Visual artist and Art and Nature Collective member Anna Rooney had an exhibition called Fabricate in the Green Gallery and ran a nature inspired cyanotype workshop.

442 visitors came to the garden.

Additional organiser: Karen Brough

Period	16 May 2026
Degree of Recognition	Regional