Friends of Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum

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Friends' events and visits

Click here to view upcoming activities and their availability.

Support us

Make a donation

We are aiming to raise £750,000 to improve facilities. All contributions will be most welcome, and we hope that you will feel able to help us reach this ambitious target.

Become a Patron

There are two Patrons’ Groups for those who wish to support the Friends at a higher level. Patrons of the Garden and Arboretum enjoy a more exclusive programme of events and private trips.

Friends of Botanic Gardens Forum

The Friends of Botanic Gardens Forum (FBGF) was set up in 2019 as an association to bring Friends groups around the UK into closer contact with each other to share experience.

Become a Friend and you will support Britain's oldest botanic garden, founded in 1621; help conserve rare and threatened trees at Harcourt Arboretum, created in 1830 and spanning 130 acres of woodland walks, wildflower meadows and ponds; and support education, training and vital research into plants and the environment for future generations.

What the Friends receive:

Free entry to the Garden and Arboretum *(excluding some events)
A 10% discount in our shops
Coffee mornings and tours led by members of staff
An invitation to events such as May Morning, the Friends' summer party and behind-the-scenes visits to other gardens
Free entry to a number of botanic gardens in the UK with whom we have a reciprocal arrangement
A regular newsletter and e-bulletin

Privacy Policy

Royal Botanic Gardens: For Friends, 2-for-1 entry to the Royal Botanic Gardens, including Kew Gardens in West London and Wakehurst Place at Ardingly in West Sussex. Free reciprocal entry available only to Bobarts and Danby Patrons.

Chelsea Physic Garden: Tucked away beside the Thames, Chelsea Physic Garden is the oldest botanic garden in London and houses around 5,000 different medicinal, herbal, edible and useful plants. Free entry with Friends' membership.

Royal Botanic Gardens of Scotland: Including the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Benmore Botanic Garden, Dawyck Botanic Garden and Logan Botanic Garden. Free entry with Friends' membership.

National Botanic Garden of Wales: The National Botanic Garden of Wales is set in the beautiful countryside of Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire. Free entry with Friends' membership.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens: The Birmingham Botanical Gardens contain glasshouses, beautiful gardens, a playground, tearoom and gift shop. Free entry with Friends' membership.

The University of Liverpool's Ness Botanic Gardens: The superb gardens at Ness in Liverpool span over 64 acres. Free entry with Friends' membership.

The University of Bristol Botanic Garden: A beautiful garden filled with a huge diversity of plants set against the backdrop of a striking Victorian house. Free entry with Friends' membership.

Access for all at the Arboretum

Support improvements to the network of paths at Harcourt Arboretum and help us make this beautiful site accessible to everyone.

Friends' Newsletter

The newsletter is full of information about what's happening at the Garden and Arboretum, articles by botanical experts, and details of Friends’ events. It is a physical publication sent to Friends three times a year – in early March, July and November. Click here to read back issues.

Friends' E-bulletin

The Friends' e-bulletin is included as part of your Friends' membership. It supplements the Friends' section of the newsletter, to make sure that you have the opportunity to take full advantage of your membership and the Garden and Arboretum. If you would like to receive it, please sign up here.

Patron: HM King Charles III

President: Lord Patten of Barnes

Vice Presidents: Lawrence Banks, Robin Herbert, Lady Lapthorne, Sir Ghillean Prance, Sir Crispin Tickell, the President of Magdalen College and the Dean of Christ Church

Directors and Trustees: Simon Hiscock, Marius Apetrei, and John Geddes

The Friends of Oxford Botanic Garden and Harcourt Arboretum is a company limited by guarantee:
company no 05547805, registered office in the UK at Rose Lane, Oxford OX1 4AZ. Registered charity no 1111939.

Find us on the Charity Commission website.

Read the minutes from our 2023 Annual General Meeting and FOBGA's Articles of Association (2020).

Friends' Accounts year ending 2023.