Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Set in 15 acres the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is close to the centre of the city and a delight for nature lovers. The gardens were designed in 1829 by J.C. Loudon - a Scottish botanist and garden designer. The garden was opened to the public in 1832 and its layout has not changed much since its initial days.

The botanical garden has 4 glasshouses - Tropical, Sub-tropical, Mediterranean and the Arid house. All the glasshouses have an atmosphere that simulates the conditions of the respective regions and houses a good selection of plants. I loved the Tropical and Sub-tropical glasshouses as they had a diverse collection of plants along with a small pond with lots of Koi fishes. The Mediterranean House had a lot of Citrus varieties along with colourful flower beds.

The garden has a small Lawn Aviary which is home to some beautiful birds. We were welcomed by the parrots and the blue Macaw with their screaming and loud noises. We also spotted some Love birds, Parakeets, Starlings, Mynahs and Cockatoo. There was also one Peacock which was roaming freely on the garden grounds.

There are 3 pleasure grounds in the garden where you can sit back, relax and unwind amidst the greenery. Loudon Terrace, Pavilion Tea Room and the Main Lawn and Bandstand - all offer perfect opportunities to take a stroll and enjoy the wonderful views. We visited the garden in October and were treated to lovely autumnal colours.

One part of the garden houses a small red brick cottage which provides a natural setting for some lovely plants. Depending on the season you are visiting in you will find an array of plants - Marguerites, Marigolds, Lupins, Peonies, Hollyhocks, Chrysanths or Hyacinths.

The plant collection at the garden is over 7000 different plants from almost every part of the world. Perennials, biennials, annuals, herbaceous, bulbs, woody, flowering ones to some rare ones - you will find all kinds of flora here.

There are a couple of playgrounds for children and a children's discovery garden where they can learn about plants through interactive play. When we visited the garden, I also noticed some ladies who had come in for a horticulture learning course, I think. There is a Study Centre in the garden. The gardens are open daily (except on Christmas Day and Boxing Day) from 10.00 am.

We went on a day when there was a slight drizzle and yet we spent around 4 hours wandering through the paths, looking at the flower displays and spending quite some time in the Aviary. The Autumnal colours were beautiful and it was a relaxing experience. It would have been perfect had the day been sunny. The gardens are located very near the Birmingham city centre and would make for a lovely day visit.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Westbourne Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 3TR
Tel: 01214541860