You know when you’ve lived in a city for about 6 years, and then you discover an amazing gem that you wish you knew about sooner? That’s how I feel about the gorgeous Bristol Botanic Garden that I went to for the first time a couple of weeks ago.

I learnt about plants, I breathed in the warm, sweet air, I made a new friend.

I’d not even heard about Bristol Botanic Gardens until perhaps a year ago, at the most – I guess people don’t talk about it much or visit often, because they don’t bother making the trip there. It’s a little out of the way for myself and most people I know in Bristol.

But it is so worth the trip!

My great pal Lily and I headed up there one very warm and sunny morning. It was so quiet, the flowers were starting to bloom, and the gardeners were getting on with their tasks. We bumped into my Instagram pal and excellent photographer Kasia, and made real-life pals. We wandered along the pathways. We breathed in the warm air in the glasshouses and marvelled at all the tropical plants.

I highly recommend a visit.

Bristol Botanic Garden is home to over 4,500 species of plants, beautifully cared for and in displays designed to tell the story of plant evolution. There are various collections throughout the gardens and greenhouses.

The garden is open 7 days a week, and costs £9 for adult entry. Kids, Bristol Uni students, staff and alumni, and garden members go free, plus they run a DAISY (Donate As It Suits You) day, where you can donate what you can afford between £1-7.

There are also tours and various festivals and other events at Bristol Botanic Garden, primarily through the summer months. It’s well worth checking out their events page.