South London Botanical Institute

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South London Botanical Institute

Botanical Institute, library, herbarium and garden. Members, botanists and visitors can relax in the lovely botanic garden.

Collections of ferns, wild flowers, medieval and modern medicinal plants, carnivorous and poisonous plants ensure there is always something new to see and be inspired by. In the peace of the library students of all ages have explored their own plant passion, researching insect pollination, early agriculture in Britain, plant distribution or south London's ecology. A large collection of pressed and

dried plants, lichens, bryophytes, algae and fungi from Britain and europe are kept in our herbarium, maintained by a group of volunteers.

04/08/2026

🌿We’re hiring! If you’re passionate about plants and community spaces, an organised behind-the-scenes operator and have a flair for communications, we’d love to talk. 🌿

Full details of our new communications and operations assistant role:
https://www.slbi.org.uk/

25/07/2026

☀️The countdown is on for our last open evening this summer!☀️

Don't miss the chance to spend a summer's evening relaxing in London’s smallest botanical garden!

Unwind at our open evening in the garden. Enjoy refreshments as you relax surrounded immersed in nature and enjoy plant-themed activities.

🗓Thursday 30th July
🕢5:30pm-7:30pm
📍SLBI 323 Norwood Road, London SE24 9AQ

Everyone is welcome and you do not have to book. Donations welcome.

🌷Visit the link in bio to find out more and check out our other upcoming events.🌷

If you have any access needs, please contact [email protected]. Our garden is accessible for motorised mobility scooters.

21/07/2026

✨Browse some of the plants in our garden that have been looking incredible this July!✨

The garden has been especially busy with a wide variety of pollinators, including honeybees, Jersey tiger moths, and Peacock butterflies alike.

- Althaea officinalis Marsh mallow
- Lythrum salicaria Purple loosestrife
- Eupatorium cannabinum Hemp-agrimony
- Origanum vulgare Wild Marjoram

🌸Want to see them up close? Come and relax and enjoy our garden at our last open evening this summer!🌸

🌿Open Evening in the Garden🌿
🗓Thursday 30th July
🕠5:30-7:30 pm

Visit our website to learn more and see our other upcoming events: https://www.slbi.org.uk/events/

16/07/2026

🌴☀️Enjoy a summer evening relaxing in London’s smallest botanical garden! ☀️🌴

Unwind at our open evening in the garden. Enjoy refreshments as you relax surrounded by nature and enjoy plant-themed activities.

🗓Thursday 30th July
🕢5:30pm-7:30pm
📍The South London Botanical Institute
323 Norwood Road SE24 9AQ

Everyone is welcome and you do not have to book. Donations welcome.

🌷Visit our website to find out more and check out our other upcoming events.🌷
https://www.slbi.org.uk/events/

If you have any access needs, please contact [email protected]. Our garden is accessible for motorised mobility scooters.

15/07/2026

We loved hosing our 'Growing Communities Together' workshop in collaboration with Incredible Edible Lambeth and High Trees and local growing groups. We explored ways of building volunteer networks, what it means to consult and co-produce with communities to support our projects. We look forward to seeing how these project continue to flourish. Big thanks to Sweet Carolina our local West Norwood Cafe for a delicious and nourishing lunch!

See what else Incredible Edible Lambeth have to say! https://www.incredibleediblelambeth.org/growing-communities-together/

14/07/2026

🌿Don't miss out on a nature-filled weekend!🌿

You're invited to explore the garden and house, and take part in our plant-themed activities.

🌿Relax in the garden with refreshments
📚Browse the botanical library
🔬See plants in a new way with our microscopes and art activities
🌍Immerse yourself in the world of plants

SE27 Street Gardens will be joining us with a hands-on gardening activity! Find out about the work they do: https://stationtostation.london/project/greening/

There are activities for all ages, and you do not have to book. Donations are welcome.

Visit our website to find out more and to see our other upcoming events
https://www.slbi.org.uk/event/slbi-open-house-and-garden-4/

Our building entrance is not wheelchair accessible but does have an entrance with a single step. The open house takes place on the ground floor, and there are no stairs once inside. Our garden is accessible for motorised mobility scooters. If you have any other access needs, please get in touch at [email protected]

10/07/2026

🌴Looking for something to do this summer?🌴

Come along and explore the garden and house, and take part in our plant-themed activities.

Relax in the garden with refreshments, browse the botanical library, see plants in a new way with our microscopes and art activities, and immerse yourself in the world of plants.

SE27 Street Gardens will be joining us - find out what they do and take part in a hands-on gardening activity! https://stationtostation.london/project/greening/

There are activities for all ages and you do not have to book. Donations are welcome.

Visit our website to find out more: https://www.slbi.org.uk/events/

Want to come and relax after work instead?

✨Come along to our next open evening on Thursday 30th July✨

Our building entrance is not wheelchair accessible but does have an entrance with a single step. The open house takes place on the ground floor, and there are no stairs once inside. Our garden is accessible for motorised mobility scooters. If you have any other access needs please get in touch at [email protected]

06/07/2026

June was an exciting month for us at the SLBI. Take a look at a few of the plants that looked especially amazing this June. ✨Comment your favourite below✨

1. Geranium pratense, Meadow cranesbill
2. Aruncus dioicus, Goat’s beard
3. Mathiasella bupleuroides, ‘Green dream’
4. Agrostemma githago, Corncockle

🌸Come and relax and enjoy our garden this summer!🌸

Our next open events are:

Open House and Garden
Sunday 19th July
2-5pm

Open Evening in the Garden
Thursday 30th July
5:30-7:30pm

🌿Visit our website to find out more and to see our other upcoming events🌿
https://www.slbi.org.uk/events/

03/07/2026

Want to know how to create your own endless supply of plants?

Join us at the SLBI for an introduction to the world of propagating plants. Discover 3 different techniques for propagating:

🌱Seed propagation
➗Division
✂Cuttings

✨By the end you will have the knowledge and confidence to propagate plants as well as a few plants to take home!✨

🗓Sunday 19th July
🕢3:30-4:30pm
🎟£5
📍The South London Botanical Institute
323 Norwood Road SE24 9AQ

Visit our website to find out more: https://www.slbi.org.uk/event/the-art-of-free-plants-propagation-workshop-for-beginners/

The SLBI will be open to the public 2pm – 5pm on Sunday 19th July for our open house. Why not come earlier to explore the garden and house and take part in our plant themed activities?

Access
The building is not wheelchair accessible, and the workshop takes place on the first floor. If you have any access needs, please contact [email protected]

29/06/2026

🌿Join Benny Hawksbee at the SLBI and learn how to support our gardens in the face of our changing climate and practical ways we can encourage local ecology into our garden spaces. Benny will share his expertise on the bees and wasps of London.🌿

🗓Thursday 30th July
🕢6:30-7:30pm
🎟£8
📍The South London Botanical Institute
323 Norwood Road SE24 9AQ

Visit our website to find out more: https://www.slbi.org.uk/event/https-www-eventbrite-co-uk-e-slbi-speaker-series-gardening-for-pollinators-and-ecological-resilience-tickets-1992417221544affoddtdtcreator/

Accessibility:
Our building entrance is not wheelchair accessible but does have an entrance with a single step. The workshop takes place on the ground floor and there are no stairs once inside. We have a hearing loop and if you need this to support access please let us know. If you have any other access needs please get in touch at [email protected]

Address

323 Norwood Road
London
SE249AQ

Telephone

+442086745787

Website

http://www.slbi.org.uk/

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