The William Turner Garden, in Carlisle Park, Morpeth, is a charming tribute to the Father of English Botany who was born in Morpeth in 1508.

William Turner (1508 - 1568) was a doctor, a clergyman, and most importantly, a botanist.  He was the first Englishman to realise that our plants needed names that we all recognise, and he began to scientifically categorise and record our native plants.  He has been described as 'the true pioneer of natural history in England', and he created the first records for about 300 plants including foxglove, cowslip, heather and dead nettle.

In this garden you'll discover the different features of gardening and medicine in Turner's Tudor times.  The Physic Garden contains medicinal herbs that Turner would have prescribed.  The Introductions Border contains plants that were first brought to England in the 16th Century.  The Knot Garden is a minature version of the type of formal garden that became popular in Tudor times.  Climb the steps to the woodland bank and look back to see the whole pattern displayed below.

How to get to the William Turner Garden
You'll find the William Turner Garden just inside the entrance to Carlisle Park, in Morpeth Town Centre. 

Opening times
The William Turner Garden is open everyday except Christmas Day and New Year's Day, from 8.00am until 8.00pm in summer, and from 8.00am until dusk in winter.

2008 - the 500th Anniversary of William Turner's birthday!
It is 500 years since the birth of this renowned son of Morpeth, and we're celebrating with a great array of events, actvities, lectures and courses throughout the summer.