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Greenhouse & Medicinal Herb Garden Tours
Students get a close look at carnivorous plants on a Greenhouse tour.
Students get a close look at carnivorous plants on a Greenhouse tour.

The Department of Biology’s Botany Greenhouse and Medicinal Herb Garden at the University of Washington offer guided tours for school groups of all ages, garden clubs, senior centers, and other community groups. The standard tour takes about one hour and focuses on diversity in the plant world. On Greenhouse tours visitors will learn about carnivorous plants, plants that have mutualistic relationships with ants, plants that smell sweet, plants that smell bad, orchids, cacti, and much more. On Medicinal Herb Garden tours visitors will learn about the medicinal properties of many plants, historical uses of Pacific Northwest native plants, and the origin of many medicines still used today.

The docent program is supported in part by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Science Education Grant 52005909 to the University of Washington and by donations to the Greenhouse Support Fund.

Requirements for SCHEDULING A TOUR - PLEASE READ
We look forward to your visit to the Greenhouse or Medicinal Herb Garden! We ask that visitors on tours listen quietly, stay with their group, and refrain from touching any plants.

Please note the following scheduling requirements:

  • The minimum number of people that can register for a tour is 7. The maximum number of people is 30.
  • School groups must have at least two chaperones per 15 students.
  • Our staff may elect to divide your group into two. Please prepare for this by assigning students to groups before arriving.
  • Tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.
  • Please note that Medicinal Herb Garden tours are outside, rain or shine.

To download a pdf of our brochure, please click here.

To schedule a tour, please fill out the form below.

TOUR FEES
Tours are free of charge for public schools, though we ask to receive your feedback in the form of thank you notes and letters, artwork, or email. Students' impressions of their experience at the Greenhouse and Herb Garden are highly valued and they help build our program by providing us with examples of student learning. We have received many letters and thank you cards over the years - take a look through some of our favorites.

Mailing Address:
Botany Greenhouse
University of Washington
Box 351800
Seattle, WA 98195-1800
Greenhouse & Medicinal Herb Garden Tour Form

Tour:
Date Requested:
Time Requested:
Name of School:
Name of School District:
Contact Person:
Phone:
Email Address:
Type of Group or Grade of Students:
Number in Group
(including chaperones):


VISITING THE UW
If you wish to extend your stay on campus, there are many other exciting field trip opportunities at the University of Washington. Information about tours of the Henry Art Gallery, Burke Museum, Kirsten Wind Tunnel, Fish Collection, etc. can be accessed at http://www.outreach.washington.edu/k12guide.

There are many restaurants and cafés on the UW campus. Bag lunches may be eaten in By George Cafeteria downstairs from Odegaard Undergraduate Library.

PARKING
Parking on campus is limited. Please contact Commuter Services Special Events Office at (206) 616-8710 for information or go to the UW Parking website.