Outdoor Exhibitions

The Insect meadow of the Botanic Gardens is home to a rotating outdoor exhibition, so there is always something new and special to discover about the world of plants. Find out which exhibitions are currently on show or coming soon.

  • Spreading Wings and Settling Down!

    Sunday 1 March – Thursday 14 May

    How do plants 'travel' from one place to another and sometimes even to another continent? Humans play an increasingly important role in the spread of plants. Many plants, such as grains and ornamental crops, are transported intentionally, but a large group of plants also spread by accident, travelling unnoticed in soil, ore, or wool. In this exhibition, you can discover fascinating stories about the human influence on plant dispersal.


     

  • Fascination of Plants

    Friday 15 May - Monday 15 June

    On 18 May 2026, it is Fascination of Plants Day. To mark the occasion, a new outdoor exhibition opens about what plant research can mean for our society, featuring stories from scientists at the UUPlants department of Utrecht University. There is also space to share your own questions and ideas about plant research with the researchers. On 12 June, a closing event brings researchers and visitors together to discuss these ideas and questions.

     


     

  • Winners photo contest 'Spreading wings and settling down!'

    Saturday 20 June – Friday 31 August

    Plants are never completely still. Seeds travel with the wind, cling to animals, drift along with water, or hitch a ride with people. This is how plants spread across landscapes and sometimes even across continents. Some literally “fly away,” while others drift in on the breeze.

    In this photo contest, the Botanic Gardens invited participants to capture these ‘flyaways’ and ‘drifters’. On 20 June, the three winners of the contest will be announced and given a place in this outdoor exhibition.

    You can still participate in the contest until 14 May via our Instagram or Facebook page.

     
     
     

  • Utrecht: Your Place, Your Words (Poetry Competition)

    Tuesday 1 September – Monday 30 November

    Are the Botanic Gardens your favourite spot in Utrecht? In this exhibition you can read the winning entries of the poetry competition 'Utrecht: Your Place, Your Words'. Utrecht University invites you to write a poem about a place in the province of Utrecht that holds a special meaning for you. It could be the square where you meet up with friends, the traffic light you cycle past every day, or the bakery from your childhood that has since disappeared... or a spot in the Botanic Gardens!

    You can submit your poem until 27 May via this webpage. Who knows... you might see your poem featured in the Botanic Gardens!