University of Leicester Botanic Garden and Attenborough Arboretum

'Founded in 1921 with the assistance of the Leicester Literary and Philosophical Society, the University of Leicester Botanic Garden was established on its present site in Oadby in 1947. It comprises the grounds of four houses: Beaumont, Southmeade, The Knoll and Hastings, which were built in the early 1900s and are now used as student residences or for the Garden education programme. The four once-separate gardens have been merged into a single entity, whose 16 acres of lovingly cultivated grounds and greenhouses, display a wide variety of features and environments.' The Friends of the Garden 'attend seasonal programmes of lectures as well as day visits to famous and less well known gardens and nurseries. There are also opportunities from time to time to go on short-break tours to more distant gardens'.