Last updated: 22 November 2022
| PlantNetwork member | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Address and contact details | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Westbourne Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 3TR | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tel: 0121 4541860 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fax: 0121454 7835 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Email: admin@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Web site: www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Latitude: 52° 28' 06" N | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Longitude: 01° 55' 40" W | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Background to the collection | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Year founded: | 1829 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ownership: | Birmingham Botanical & Horticultural Society Ltd. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Garden code: | BMBG | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Umbrella organisation: | PlantNetwork, Botanic Gardens Conservation International, English Heritage, National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens, National Heritage Programme | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personnel | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief Executive: | James Wheeler | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head Gardener: | Wayne Williams | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior Horticulturalist External Areas: | Giulio Veronese | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Librarian: | Patricia Turner | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contact person: | James Wheeler | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Staff: | 45 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total Horticultural Staff: | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Policies | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessions: | (1) Amenity - horticultural variety; (2) education - economic, geographic, ecological; (3) wide range as possible | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collections: | National Collection of Cyclamen species. National Bonsai Collection. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Physical environment | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Altitude: | 140 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil type: | Sand, acid | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aspect: | South and West | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total area: | 5.6 ha | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Area heated: | 1350 m² | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weather records | Records are kept of Max and Min temperatures in the glasshouses and on site of Nursery are taken. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Direction: | South, West | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strength: | Average | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rainfall | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Average annual: | 750 mm | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plant collection | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Families: | 247 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Genera: | 1283 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Species: | 3527 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxa: | 4933 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accessions: | 6284 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plants: | 6284 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable plants within the collection: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dicksonia x lathamii (hybrid D. antarctica x D. arborescens) a putative hybrid possibly unique - see Gardner's Chronicle 1885 Fagus sylvatica 'Purpurea', circa 200 years old- older than the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, when the land was Holly Bank Farm. Cedrus deodara (two specimens) received as seed in the 1840's as seed by James Watt Junior. (His father James Watt Senior. was the inventor of steam power that drove the industrial revolution). | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special families within the collections: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Araceae, Bromeliaceae, Cactaceae, Cycadaceae, Marantaceae, Orchidaceae | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special genera within the collections: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cyclamen | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Special collections: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| National Bonsai Collection, National Collection of Cyclamen species E.H. Wilson Bed, (E.H. Wilson worked here 1893-97) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| TARGET 8 SPECIES: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Record Keeping: | Records kept Computerised | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Record System: | BG-Base | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Phenological records: | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plant-collecting trips: | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Facilities on site | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Herbarium: | Two very small 19 century archival | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Library: | 2,500 volumes plus journals, reference only | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Research facilities: | No | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Publications: | Garden Guide, Quarterly Newsletter circulated to members | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Identifications: | Undertakes free identifications for the general public. Internal verification of material | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching and Education: | Primary, secondary, higher, public education, potential for taxonomic | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interpretation: | Supervised garden walks, signs, brochures, guided trails, lectures | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Friends Organisation: | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Visitor facilities: | Four display glasshouses- Tropical, Subtropical, Mediterranean & Arid, Seasonal Butterfly House (Late May to Early September), Restaurant, café, plant sales, gift shop, library, 3 function rooms | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Access to the collections | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public access: | Shop and Library Free. Admission charge to gardens and glasshouses | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Visitors per year: | 120000+ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public opening hours: | Mon-Sun: 10am - dusk. Open daily except Christmas day and Boxing Day. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guiding principles behind the collection | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birmingham Botanical Gardens aim to assemble a plant collection to provide an amenity for members of the founding society and the public, and an educational resource for schools in the West Midlands region. The latter is served by two full-time tutors. The collection has as wide a geographic, taxonomic and ecological base as facilities permit, with emphasis on economic plants. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location map | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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