The Open Day will be one of the last opportunities to pay a weekend visit to this unique garden before it is relocated to its new home. Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help interpret the 4,500 different species of plants from all parts of the world that are grown on the present Botanic Garden. There will also be information relating to the future site of the garden.

The University's Botanic Garden is part of a world-wide network of 1,850 such gardens committed to plant conservation and raising public awareness of the importance of plants in man's everyday life.

As part of an overall reorganisation of its estate, the University has decided to relocate the Garden from its current home on Bracken Hill to another University owned site. The Holmes in Stoke Bishop, and Goldney House and Garden in Clifton are the two favoured sites.

Before a final decision can be made further investigation work is being carried out. Archaeological and ecological surveys are currently being conducted on both sites, particularly Goldney House and Garden which warrants special attention due to its historic character.

Both sites present real opportunities to create a new and exciting Botanic Garden within the city of Bristol.

The Botanic Garden is 121 years old this year. It has been moved three times during its life and has been at the present site, Bracken Hill in Leigh Woods, since 1959 where it has been integrated into an attractive five-acre, late-Victorian garden.

Whilst the investigation work continues, the Garden remains open to the public on weekdays with a full programme of educational activities.

On Sunday, June 22, the Botanic Garden will be open from 10am to 5pm. Admission: adults £2, children free. Refreshments, including cream teas, will be on sale.

For more details, please contact the Curator, Mr Nick Wray on 0117 973 3682, or fax on 0117 974 1929, e-mail: nicholas.wray@bris.ac.uk