The new glasshouse at the Royal Horticultural Society Gardens at Wisley opens its door to the public on 15 June 2007.
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The 12 m high (40 ft) glasshouse has taken two years to build and covers an area the size of 10 tennis courts. |
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The huge cathedral-like structure, is surrounded by a new lake and has three zones, dry temperate, moist temperate and tropical.
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The building itself was finished in October 2006 and over the last months, expert horticulturalists have transplanted Wisley’s precious plant collection into its new home.
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Entering the glass house is like stepping into a jungle. Ferns, succulents and hundreds of flowering plants draw you in along winding paths past rocky outcrops, pools and waterfalls. |
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The glasshouse is now home to over 5,000 different species, many of them rare and endangered, including many rare varieties of orchid. |
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There is also an education centre where visitors can learn about plants and the work of a tropical planthouse gardener |
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The official opening is by the Queen on the 26 June. |