Glasshouses

The Glasshouse complex is composed of five interconnected cells and houses plants that require special growing conditions.

The entrancecontains a general collection of plants unsuitable for growing outside: hanging baskets of gesneriaceae and other exotics and a range of begonias, ferns and lilies surround a lovely small pond in this area.  Many bromeliads are displayed here, exotic species primarily from South America.

The second section is home to a beautiful display of bromeliads - just a fraction of the huge range of these South American rainforest plants set about a small pair of ponds and a waterfall.    

 Arid land displays several cacti native to the Americas, and succulents as well as several of our native species of dry-adapted plants. Signs give information about the many ways plants have adapted to dry conditions in various parts of the world.

A stark contrast is the orchid house. A variety of Australian native species are housed in this section, as well as many exotic orchids. This is an ever-changing display of terrestrial, lithophytic and epiphytic orchids shown as each comes into bloom. Another pond is a central feature, and this is surrounded by tree ferns, basket ferns, bromeliads and lilies.                 

In the final cell, finish the circuit in lush humidity where gingers, heliconias, anthuriums and the exotic "bat plants" are displayed