Glasshouses

Home to a plethora of weird and wonderful life, in our glasshouses you will find everything from tropical rainforest to desert cacti. 

Located close to the main Visitor Centre and accessible by wheelchair users, they are divided into sections to show a range of plants from different habitats. The glasshouses are also home to our tropical bugs. Our indoor activity space, the Glassroom, is contained within the glasshouses. 

The Tropical House represents the warm, humid environment of a rainforest, complete with (at the press of a button) real rain! Here you will find bananas, sugarcane, coffee, giant bamboo, epiphytic orchids and bromeliads. There are also climbers including 'Dutchman’s Pipe'. 

At the opposite end of our planet’s ecosystem, the Cactus House represents the dry, bright conditions of a desert and provides year-round interest. Here you will find Prickly Pears, Barrel Cacti, Aloes, Agave and a variety of succulent plants. There are plants from Brazil, Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Africa and Madagascar. Prepare to take a step into the exotic and explore this desert landscape. 

Please find the opening times of the glasshouses below: