I was on family chauffeuring "duties" on Tuesday afternoon and had a spare couple of hours so to while away time I decided to visit Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Edgbaston. I haven't been since we took D and E when they were small. The site covers 15 acres and was founded in 1829.
There were lots of Spring flowers blooming in the gardens - daffodils, crocuses, primulas, camelias and rhodendron.
There is a part of the Gardens designed, I believe, mainly for children called The Kingdom of the Green Man. The area contains a playground and the Green Man's House Teulon Cottage surrounded by a lovely cottage and herb garden.
Nearby are the Historic Gardens featuring a Roman, Medieval and Tudor Garden. Unfortunately, the area was very shady so the only photo that really turned out was this one of a statue.
More colourful flowers as I wandered around.
The Rock Garden and Pool were very picturesque and the quietest part of the gardens.
The Growing Schools Garden formed part of the "Story of Horticulture" section
Aviaries
There are four glasshouses - Tropical, Sub-tropical, Mediterranean and Arid
There was an excellent collection of colourful foliage plants in the Mediterranean Glasshouse
The Sub-tropical house including a section on carnivorous plants
You can see the Japanese Garden through this window.
A small courtyard houses some trees from the National Bonsai Collection
There was a good selection of sculptures scattered throughout the gardens
I mentioned a few posts ago that I was determined to buy some Echinops plants for the garden this year to encourage pollinators and I was really pleased to find them on sale in the shop. I bought two :)
Thank you so much for this tour, it's taken me right back to my childhood. I went there plenty of times as a child and often wondered if it was still as lovely as I remembered.
ReplyDeleteAnother super and interesting post- you do find some lovely places to share with us all- thank you :-)
ReplyDeleteDoesn't the world look different with a drop of sunshine bathing it? All those spring flowers looked so cheerful, what a fantastic place to spend time.
You've given me a nudge about the echinops too- I remember thinking last year I would like to get some for the garden, but had forgotten to add them to my list. They are now written down on a piece of paper and I shall keep my eyes peeled! CT x
It's so strange to see sunlight! Look at all those beautiful flowers around your area:) This is one of my favorite times of years....minus the allergies:)
ReplyDeleteSeagullSuzie - Thanks so much - so glad I brought back childhood memories for you :) It is lovely there but it was very busy and we won't mention how hard it was to park :( !!!
ReplyDeleteCountryside Tales - Many thanks :) Its been such a glorious week weatherwise and so good to see flutters and insects about!
Good luck with the echinops - this was the first place I'd seen them though I think you can get them mail order. When I've been at NT gardens they are covered in bees and hoverflies :)
Chris Rohrer - Thanks Chris :) It is wonderful to see the sun after such a cloudy wet winter this year!! Yes, I love Spring too - so sorry to hear about your allergies.
What a lovely place, and fancy seeing Rhododendrons out SO early! I am praying there isn't a downside to this next week with a return to a last blast of winter!
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed your walk around, and how beautiful the spring flowers.
Bovey Belle - Thanks so much. I couldn't believe the rhododendrod flowers either. In my garden the camelias are only just starting to flower!
ReplyDeleteI was on a nature reserve yesterday and there were clouds of Blackthorn flowers everywhere so here's hoping it doesn't, as you say, lead to a "blackthorn winter" episode!!
What a great place to visit.. would love to explore those greenhouses... and lots of spring colour & sculptures... great stuff :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful garden and how good it is to see the spring flowers in sunshine!
ReplyDeleteThere is a mass of blackthorn in flower around here so I too am hoping we don`t get a Blackthorn Winter coming back to freeze us again........
Tricia Ryder - Many thanks Tricia :) So glad you enjoyed the post and gardens.
ReplyDeleteDartford Warbler - Thanks so much :)In the last week the amount of Blackthorn in flower has increased unbelievably - it looks so pretty everywhere :)
With my love of botannical gardens I would be very happy wandering around here! The glass houses sound fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThe crocuses look beautiful, I dream of creating a spread of flowers like that on the grass! And echinops is definitely on my list here, I was looking for some yesterday without any luck.
Wendy - Many thanks :) The glasshouses were wonderful :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your search for echinops - I must admit I was over the moon when I spotted them!
I really enjoyed that. You do the best Tours RR!
ReplyDeleteEm Parkinson - Thanks so much for your lovely comment :) I'm so glad you enjoyed :)
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