Timeline
The Gardens History
The 18th and early 19th centuries were times of exploration and intrusion across the globe by Britain. A product of this behaviour was the introduction to Britain of enormous numbers of new plants from all over the world. Some of these plants were unknown at the time even to botanists. These novelties aroused such interest among well-to-do middle-class citizens that botanical and horticultural societies were set up all over the country.
1829
The Gardens’ current site ‘Holly Bank Farm’ is leased from Lord Calthorpe’s Estate.
Birmingham Botanical and Horticultural Society was formed to find a suitable site to develop for the benefit of the population to escape the effects of the industrial revolution which was impacting former residential areas as they were taken over by commercial ventures.
The Estate was instrumental in the establishment and remains a strong supporter of the Botanical Gardens. Many other local families contributed to the Garden’s continued independence and mission, including the Mathew Boulton, the Chamberlains, Martineaus, Nettlefolds and Kendricks.
1831
The gardens were designed by the pioneering garden designer and horticultural writer, John Claudius Loudon.
Loudon and his wife, Jane Loudon (née Webb), were prolific authors of gardening books and magazines and had a vision for long-term planning to provide green spaces in the rapidly growing cities of Britain. Ludon’s plans for a very large circular glasshouse in the Gardens were rejected by BBHS on financial grounds and replaced by a simpler suite of glass buildings, constructed by Messrs John Jones and Co., a local Birmingham firm. Apart from the glasshouses, the general layout of the Gardens is much the same today as Loudon’s 1830 plan.
1832
The Gardens opened on 11th June 1832 to members, medical students, and “strangers” on payment of a shilling.
Loudon established the design theory entitled Gardenesque. In this style, attention was given to the individual plant and placement in the best conditions for them to grow to their potential. Loudon’s wife was from Birmingham and it was natural for the Horticultural Society members to turn to him, the leading designer of his day, to create the landscape for the garden.
1844
Working class people are admitted on Mondays and Tuesdays on payment of a penny.
1846
The Constitution of the BBHS was changed to make membership less exclusive, reducing annual subscription to 10/6d.
1850
The Fountain was designed in 1850 by local architect Charles Edge. It is made of Coade Stone, an artificial stone much favoured in Victorian England and very resistant to acid rain. The fountain originally consisted of 4 tiers, but sadly, due to the consistency of the Coade Stone has eroded and currently consists of its first tier only.
1852
The Lily House
The Lily House was added to the site in 1852 specifically to join in the race between botanical gardens at the time to be the first to share the great Amazon water lily Victoria Amazonica flowering. The photograph above dates from 1910 and shows the then Curator, Thomas Humphries’, daughter balanced precariously on a leaf of the plant.
1868
William B. Latham was appointed Curator of the Gardens. He was an important curator in the Gardens’ history, and during a time of visitor decline and the need to improve the plant collections.
1871
The Palm House
The Palm House designed by local architect F. B. Osbourne and built in 1871, provided the Gardens with much-needed height under glass, enabling palms and tree ferns to be added to the collection.
1873
Bandstand
The Bandstand built in 1873, was again designed by F. B. Osborne. It cost £368 and is still in use today, for summer concerts, photo shoots and events.
1873
Dicksonia x lathamii
William B. Latham raises Dicksonia x lathamii, described in the Gardeners’ Chronicle of 1885 as “this very noble fern which appears to be of hybrid origin, was raised by Mr W. B. Latham, Curator at Birmingham, after whom we have named it”.
It is a hybrid between the familiar Dicksonia antarctica found in many gardens and the rare and difficult to cultivate Dicksonia arborescens from the Island of St. Helena. The original plant is unique as far as we know and still grows in our subtropical glasshouse more than 100 years after the chance hybrid occurred.
The plant still resides in the Palm House today.
1876
Joseph Chamberlain, Mayor of Birmingham, became President of the Birmingham Botanical Horticultural Society.
1884
New Terrace Range
The original glass structure on the Terrace was replaced by the lower range of glasshouses and Exhibition Hall was constructed.
1895
The Nettlefold Apline Rock Garden
The Nettlefold Garden was designed in 1895 by the famous Backhouse & Sons of York and built to commemorate Hugh Nettlefold’s service to Society. This English Heritage listed rock garden contains 250 tons of millstone grit. The Nettlefold family, local factory owners and screw manufacturers, financed the project.
1910
Zoological collection
In an effort to increase the membership of the Society, a zoological collection was started in 1910, well before any such enterprise elsewhere in the region. The list of animals to be seen in succeeding years included monkeys, seals, alligators, pythons, wallabies and bears.
1930
The original Society was wound up and a new company limited by guarantee was formed.
1940
Alexandra Musical Society gave a garden party for 100 men from the Warneford Hospital in Leamington: “most of these men had taken part in fighting in Belgium and France and the retreat to Dunkirk”. During that time, like during the I World War, portions of the grounds, hothouses, and allotment area, were used for cultivation of vegetables and some of these crops provided valuable additions to the food supplies.
1945
Glasshouses were damaged extensively in 27th/28th July air raid.
1963
The Society became a private limited company and a “Registered Educational Charity”.
1969
Palm House was reconstructed after a storm. The structure was radically altered and the roof lowered.
1973
The Bandstand was renovated.
1976
Lord Mayor of Birmingham opened the Kenrick Education Centre.
1983
Restoration of the Fountain.
1986
This was the year of major rebuilding of a new visitor entrance. By July 1987, the new entrance was in use. Substantial planting of the Rhododendron Garden was completed by one of the country’s leading authorities on Rhododendron, John Bond – keeper of Savile Gardens at Windsor. Over 200 new rhododendron and azalea plants were planted in the autumn and winter.
1987
The dismantling of old aviaries made room for a new Garden Shop which opened in the August of 1987, and the following Easter, they opened the addition of the outdoor plant sales. The Gardens Shop is still open today, and houses a range of gifts, plants, toys, books, houseware and souvenirs.
1986
A Volunteering scheme was introduced at the Gardens, where volunteers worked alongside the Head Gardener for 2 hours on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons to assist with wedding and hoeing. Volunteers are now a huge support across many areas of the Gardens.
1990
Lily House was rebuilt and opened in 1991.
1992
The National Bonsai Collection was installed in the Gardens and was available to the public in 1992.
1995
The Lawn Aviary was built and a new Rose Garden was planted.
2006
In the June, the Gardens launched the opening of the Grass Garden by Prof. Chris Baine; A vice president of the Wildlife Trust, Writer, Environmental Campaigner and TV presenter.
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