Botanic Garden launches audio guide

19 March 2012

Philip Pulman is one of the speakers on a new audio guide which is being launched at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden on 21 March 2012.

Timothy Walker, director of the Garden, Emma Williams, Kate Pritchard and Lily Friend from the Garden, and storyteller Xanthe Gresham have joined forces with the Oxford-based Northern Lights author to record the guide, which can be used for free with admission to the Garden.

The guide takes the form of a laminated map of the Garden and visitors will receive a discovery pen which, upon touching a photograph on the map, will play a recording.

Dr Alison Foster, senior curator of the Botanic Garden, said: ‘We are delighted to now be able to offer our visitors a new audio guide, which is narrated by great storytellers as well as experts from the Botanic Garden. We hope the guide will enhance the visitor experience and be popular with families.

‘Highlights of the guide include plants in the glass houses and trees, which will be relevant all year round – not just in summer.’

The guide was made possible by sponsorship from the Helen Roll charity and was recorded and edited by Eka Morgan.

Media are invited to the launch event at the Botanic Garden on Wednesday 21 March at 5.30pm.

Audio samples and images are available. For more information, contact Matt Pickles in the University of Oxford press office on 01865 270046 or matt.pickles@admin.ox.ac.uk