Brendel plant models
Did you know that the University has a collection of giant plants!
Lots of items in the collections relate to gardens and wildlife, so let's explore the great outdoors!
If you don't have your own garden but live in Aberdeen, remember that the University's Cruickshank Botanic Garden is OPEN! We've included some Cruickshank Botanic Garden activity sheets that you can use as part of your visit too.
How does your garden grow? Educational Models of Plants
Brendel plant models
Models have long been used in biological and medical education. Originally viewed as purely functional teaching aids, they are now regarded as museum objects and works of art.
Brendel plant models
The University of Aberdeen’s collections include educational models made by some of the greatest exponents of the art. We have over 150 plant models made by the German firm R&R BRENDEL.
Brendel plant models
Robert & Reinhold Brendel produced beautiful and accurate models of enlarged flowers at Breslau and Berlin in Germany from the late 1800s until the 1920s.
Brendel plant models
The models were made of papier mâché, but with other materials added to give detail and texture: wood, cotton, rattan, pulp cane, glass beads, feathers, and gelatine.
Brendel plant models
The models are mostly of native plants that can be found in British gardens or on countryside walks. But because of their giant size, they take on a weirdly exotic and theatrical quality.
Brendel plant models
The models were supersized to enable students to study the details of each specimen more easily. Many of the models were also designed to come apart to show plant structure.
Brendel plant models
Today we have microscopes, cameras and digital technology that allows us to zoom in on actual plant specimens, so these paper and plastic models can seem outdated.
Brendel plant models
Considering their scientific precision and realism, the educational value of nineteenth-century models has not diminished. Some schools and universities are still using them today.
Brendel plant models
As museum objects, this weird artificial garden of giant plants and flowers has a charm beyond its original function as an educational resource.
Brendel plant models
Why not have a go at making some papier mâché models of flowers or plants that are growing in YOUR garden?
Backyard Bestiary
The Aberdeen Bestiary in the University's Special Collections is a rare and beautiful manuscript illustrating different types of animals and birds. Some are exotic, like elephants, lions and ostrich. Others are mythical like the phoenix. But some of the bestiary critter you might find in your own garden or a local park. Here are some examples of local wildlife in a Medieval Style.
Why not create your own Garden Bestiary of mammals, birds and insects? You could make your own illustrations or create a Bestiary of wildlife photographs on your phone!
HEDGEHOG
Click to watch the Scottish Wildlife Trust's useful facts about Scotland's hedgehogs and how you can help them at home.
BEES
Wild bees and other pollinators are in decline. Here are the Woodland Trust's top tips to help you entice bumblebees to your garden.
LIZARD
Timid, lightning-quick and sun-worshipping. The common lizard basks in the warmth of the sun along woodland edges so it can quickly hide among twigs, logs and leaves.
STOAT or WEASLE
Stoats are not easy to spot, with most sightings little more than a fleeting glimpse.
MOLE
The best time to see mole is in the summer when the young moles are looking for their own territory. They will come above ground as it is easier to travel longer distances.
RABBIT
Did you know that rabbits are not native to the UK? They were introduced in the 12th century from Spain, Portugal and northwest Africa; initially captive bred by the aristocracy for their fur.
DEER
Nimble and fleet of foot. The roe is our most widely distributed deer, found in woods across the country. Look out for its white rump flashing as it acrobatically bounds through the trees.
BIRDS
With its noisy chattering, black-and-white plumage and long tail, there is nothing else quite like the magpie in the UK.
SNAKE
Adders hibernate from October, emerging in the first warm days of March, which is the easiest time of year to find them basking on a log or under a warm rock.
BAT
What do bats eat, and how do they find their prey? Check out this SWT video for some fascinating facts about bats.
Grow it, Pick it, Press it: Make your own Mini Herbarium!
Q:What is a Herbarium?
A: It's a collection of dried plant specimens mounted on sheets of paper.
Why not have a go at growing some herbs or flowers in your garden (or on a windowsill). Then create your very own herbarium by drying and pressing the plants!
