Birmingham Botanical Gardens

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens cover 15 acres in Edgbaston, two and a half kilometres south-west of Birmingham city centre. Designed in 1829 by John Claudius Loudon, the gardens retain his original layout and many historic features. Four Grade II listed glasshouses stand along the south side, including the tropical house built in 1852 to shelter the giant water lily. A Grade II listed octagonal iron bandstand, restored in 2021 as the Peter Sowerby Bandstand, sits on the west lawn. The gardens also include a Coade stone fountain presented in 1850 and a cast-iron gazebo moved to the site in the 1990s. The gardens hold more than seven thousand plants from around the world, including the British National Bonsai Collection opened in 1993. A rock garden from 1895 honours Sir Hugh Nettlefold, a key benefactor of the gardens. Seasonal displays include the Ernest ‘China’ Wilson Border and the Azalea Walk laid out in 1862. The Pinetum and Herbaceous Border lie to the north-east, while the south-east features a rock garden and pool from 1895. The Nursery at the southern corner supplies plants for the gardens and for sale. Paths wind from the Main Lawn to every main area. The West Lawn and Winter Gardens sit to the north-east, with the Rhododendron Walk and Fern Walk to the south-east. A Conservation Garden created in 1991 protects local species, and three period gardens—Roman, Medieval and Tudor—were added in 1994. Teulon Cottage houses a museum, and a playground lies near the east boundary. The gardens remain a place where visitors can see Loudon’s vision in living plants and historic structures.