We’re looking for some new tour guides to help us run our programme of public and private Gardens tours. As a newcomer, you’ll join an existing group of experienced guides, and will be offered formal training and support.

We’re pleased to be joining the Hallam Art exhibition this bank holiday weekend in the Dorothy Fox Education Centre in the Gardens, with some of our merchandise available over the three days and plants for sale on Sunday afternoon.

Thanks to Elizabeth and Steve from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for a fascinating talk yesterday (26 April) on their work, with a particular focus on their horticultural inspirations and responsibilities.

The executive committee of the Friends met this morning (25 April) in the Education Centre to hear about early progress from Laura, the new Education Co-ordinator for the Gardens - and to debate issues ranging from our planned new volunteer centre and the work of our charitable partner the Sheffield Botanical Gardens Trust, to the use of Zoom for our lecture programme and possible future stalls at the Pollen Market.

Join us on Tuesday (26th April) for our monthly morning lecture, this one on the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, followed by a public tour of the Gardens.

Regular visitors will have noticed the extensive new planting that has been happening at the Thompson Road entrance to the Gardens, much of it funded by the Friends.

We’re delighted to be adding a new species to the Gardens’ National Plant Collection of Sarcococca. 

Thanks to all the Friends who helped out - and visited - our stall at the Pollen Market on Easter Sunday.

Thanks to Camilla for a thoughtful lecture on Monday (11 April) on three forms of tree commemoration. Her talk was our first attempt at live-streaming lectures from the Dorothy Fox Centre on Zoom, and we’re grateful to her for remaining calm and willing even as some technical issue arose!

Our next lecture will be by Dr Camilla Allen, this Monday evening (11th April). She will talk to us about three forms of commemoration with trees: Britain's three tree cathedrals, the role of sacred groves in saving California's coast redwoods and Sheffield's commemorative WW1 street trees.

Laura Alston, our new Education Co-ordinator, is putting together a team of Education Volunteers for the Gardens. These volunteers will help with setting up and delivering a programme of curriculum-based activities. This will include working with classes and groups of school pupils and teachers and leading activities for school groups at the Gardens. The activities will all be pre-prepared and instructions and an induction will be provided to the volunteers.

We had a beautiful sunny day for our second public tour of the year, and were delighted to be joined by the international families from Broomhill Library’s Tea, Talk & Tots group. Together we explored Spring bulbs throughout the Gardens.

Many thanks to veg expert David Thornton who this morning (22 March) provided us with a fascinating insight into growing vegetables both for the table and for the exhibition circuit. His talk included lots of very useful tips, though I’m not sure how many Friends will be trialling 6ft high raised beds or a crowbar!

Thanks to everyone who came along to our first-ever stall at the Pollen Market yesterday! We had a great time chatting about the Gardens, and encouraging people to become Friends or garden volunteers, or both!

The lease on the Curator’s Café in the Botanical Gardens is currently being advertised by the Parks Service. As the advert says, this is a fantastic opportunity to grow a high-quality business at an established café location in one of the premier parks in the region.