Cambridge University Botanic Garden.

I am delighted to be writing this post at the house of my family, having returned for Christmas. However, my final day in the south-east for 2014 was a fine one indeed. My friends at Writtle and I went to Cambridge University Botanic Garden with Christine, to be shown the Winter Garden there.

Naturally, many of the plants within the Winter Garden were looking their best: hellebores, birches, and of course the dogwoods - stem colours ablaze in the cold golden sunlight. Some marvellous plants I had not encountered before, and intend to study in a later blog post.

Although I had not been to the garden before, my father revised for law exams in its surroundings during his student days in Cambridge. As a botanic garden, it has also a further use to the university - it plays a critical role in medical research. I would love to return and learn more about this fascinating aspect, something which makes Cambridge University Botanic Garden a place in which there is more than meets the eye - and that is saying something!