The Glasgow Green Botanical Gardens

Affordable Outdoor Activities in Scotland

In Glasgow, Scotland, the bustling and noisy streets make green spaces into welcome retreats, and the Glasgow Green offers both an inspiring natural landscape and a wonderful museum with attached botanical gardens.

Located along the banks of the River Clyde, the Glasgow Green is an excellent place to wile away a sunny afternoon.

The Green is one of the city's oldest parks and is dotted with sculptural works and historic monuments.

When the weather is good, the grassy hills at the edge of the Clyde attract many sunbathers, but it's best not to think too long about the public executions that once took place on the grounds nearby. Instead, focus on the ducks in the river and the wind in the trees.

The People's Palace

Thanks to the good folks at Glasgow Museums, the People's Palace offers admission by donation. Inside, the exhibitions are filled with historic memorabilia and the stuff of Glasgow's workers and industry. Like a child, I strolled through flipping up the flaps over hidden trivia and sitting inside a Cold War bomb shelter.

It's also important to remember to visit the shop for trinkets to bring home for nieces and nephews. A £1 donation at the entrance will soothe your conscience and make you wonder why large museums in Canada can't pull this off.

Peaceful Winter Gardens

Attached to the People's Palace is a beautifully ornate glass greenhouse crammed with tropical and desert plant materials. The warm interior climate is a haven from the rain, and quite a lovely place to be when the temperature drops. It's also a great spot to have your photo taken next to a giant banana leaf or palm tree so you'll have something to send home to family.

For plant lovers and nature photographers alike, the Winter Gardens are a great place to relax and breathe in tropical scents. I was happy to locate a spot where I couldn't hear a single police siren or tour bus.

The Enormous Doulton Fountain

Outside of the People's Palace is a very large and intricate terracotta fountain, which is apparently the largest in the world. It has been updated as part of the Glasgow Green's revitalization project and is really quite magnificent.

The only shame is that a fence keeps guests from dipping in their feet on a hot afternoon. Inside the People's Palace there are old photographs of families splashing in its basin which might breed a little jealousy among visitors. I suppose after an extensive restoration though, a sculpture this old and delicate deserves some space.