Learning Spaces & Facilities

Learning Spaces

Students and instructors are encouraged to make use of UBC Botanical Garden’s learning spaces for teaching or research. The learning spaces available are:

The Botanical Garden

The grounds of UBC Botanical Garden are used by hundreds of students each term. The interdisciplinary nature of the Garden promotes its regular use through coursework in over half of UBC’s faculties. Instructors and students new to using the Botanical Garden as a learning space are invited to visit the Garden, browse the website and/or contact us for help in determining how UBC Botanical Garden can best serve your needs.

For standard guided tours of the Garden, please use the guided tour request form. For other student research and learning uses of the Garden, please contact us to help ensure that your learning and research project activities are communicated to Botanical Garden staff entrusted with stewarding the grounds and plant collections.

Nitobe Memorial Garden

Due to the small spaces and maintenance requirements of this cultural garden, student groups of more than five people are asked to contact the Nitobe Memorial Garden Admission Desk to schedule visits to the Garden. Please contact us if you are interested in the Nitobe Memorial Garden as a space for a research project or other learning activity.

Recent student use of Nitobe Memorial Garden as a learning space includes BIOL 321: Structure and Evolution of the Bryophytes (surveys of the moss flora of Nitobe Memorial Garden) and ARTH 100: Introduction to Art History (appreciation of the constructed landscape as art).

Greenheart TreeWalk

The Greenheart TreeWalk is available for both student learning and research projects. UBC instructors in the Faculty of Forestry in particular make frequent use of the Greenheart TreeWalk for classes in order to instruct students on the ecological dynamics of forest canopies. With advance notice, UBC courses or groups with 10 or more students receive discounted group rates. If booking a standard tour of the Greenheart TreeWalk, please use the guided tour request form. Otherwise, please contact us if you are interested for a research project or other learning activity.

The Botanical Garden Nursery

With advance notice, the Botanical Garden Nursery is sometimes available for individual or small group student projects in horticulture or botany. Examples of courses that use the Nursery for research projects include APBI 318: Applied Plant Breeding and APBI 322: Horticultural Techniques. Please contact us if you are interested in using the Nursery as a learning space.

Student Facilities

Study Suite

During regular working hours, a Study Suite is available for UBC students for small group work. The Study Suite contains tables and chairs for up to 12 students for individual or group projects. There is a wall-mounted television connected to an Apple computer with wireless keyboard and mouse, and an Apple terminal bundled with office and graphics applications. Group use is on a first-come, first-served basis. If booked or in use, the Garden may be able to make other spaces available for individuals or small groups of students.

Reading Room

Connected to the Study Suite, the Reading Room (Library) houses a collection of over 3,000 books and selections from over 150 magazine, journal, and periodical titles. Borrowing privileges are restricted, but students do have access to the collection onsite.

Facility Rentals

For UBC student clubs, discounted rates may apply for the rental of UBC Botanical Garden facilities.

Botanical Garden and Nitobe Memorial Garden

Students are invited to use the gardens and naturalistic areas of UBC Botanical Garden not only for research or learning, but also as a place of respite or contemplation. Have a seat on one of the many benches and study. Enjoy the cool breeze flowing off the Salish Sea while relaxing on a blanket on the lawn. UBC students receive free admission to UBC Botanical Garden and Nitobe Memorial Garden upon presentation of a valid student card (other students receive concession rates).