© Image owned by Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Article by Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) has been awarded £9.075m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards its major restoration, Growing Our Green Heritage, to preserve a nationally significant historic botanic garden and save Birmingham’s priceless heritage for future generations.
With over 90% of the funding now in place, we are appealing to all those who care about the Gardens to help us close the remaining gap. This will mean that over the next 4.5 years, this landmark project will restore the Gardens’ historic Grade II* listed glasshouses, enhance visitor infrastructure and amenities, improve sustainability and expand public access to education, horticulture, heritage and nature in this unique green space. It will increase public understanding of the importance of plant biodiversity to life on Earth and share the importance of plants to people, our places and the planet.
© Alberto Trinco, image owned by Birmingham Botanical Garden
This vital and timely funding made possible by National Lottery players will ensure that urgently needed repairs and restorations are carried out to secure the future of this treasured historic site. Without intervention, the Victorian glasshouses, identified as at risk by Historic England, would have faced closure within 2 years. They will now be carefully restored to the original designs, providing the perfect conditions to protect and grow BBG’s globally significant Living Collection of plants. As one of just over 100 internationally ‘accredited’ botanic gardens in the world, BBG cares for 30,000 plants of unique scientific and heritage significance, some rare and critically endangered. As an independent charity, the loss of the iconic structures would have threatened BBG’s long-term future and endangered a fundamental part of Birmingham’s cultural and environmental heritage.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens’ Chair, Sue Beardsmore, says:
“Our uniquely biodiverse natural environment is one of the UK’s most significant historic botanic gardens and part of Birmingham and the West Midlands’ richly diverse cultural history and way of life. This safe, peaceful space is part of the green heart of Birmingham and a hugely treasured place to the city, the West Midlands region and its communities”.
”With The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s grant, together with generous pledges of support (£8m) from The Garfield Weston Foundation, The Julia Rausing Trust, The Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust and others, we can now preserve this historic estate, nursery and iconic glasshouses for future generations”.
”We are immensely grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for this unique opportunity to restore an important part of Birmingham’s heritage, champion biodiversity and the environment, and reconnect people with nature. As we approach our Bicentenary, we can now ensure that BBG, the unique Living Collection and tangible and intangible heritage of this ‘miracle green space’ can be researched, shared and enjoyed by everyone for the next 200 years”.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund and collective support mark a turning point in the Gardens’ 190-year history. It will resolve critical infrastructure issues and offer the opportunity of a generation to remedy fundamental threats to BBG’s survival, recalibrating its position as a leading botanical garden in the UK.
Liz Bates, Director, England, Midlands & East at The National Heritage Lottery Fund, said:
“We are pleased to support Birmingham Botanical Gardens with a grant of £9.075million, as we celebrate awarding a total of £2bn of National Lottery and other funding to projects across the Midlands & East of England. This transformational project will see this iconic Birmingham green space flourish anew, safeguard and redisplay their incredible living collection and deepen the connection between local people and their urban natural heritage. The widespread support Birmingham Botanical Gardens have gathered for their inclusive vision is a testament to their deep-rooted value in the community.”
As part of the wider project, the Gardens teams are reviewing a timely and pertinent question. ‘What is the role of a 21st Century Botanic Garden in a super diverse and youthful city, within the global contexts of the Climate Emergency and severe biodiversity loss? It is anticipated that through project collaborations with communities, visitors, partners and volunteers, some answers to this challenge will arise.
© Benjamin Taylor, image owned by Birmingham Botanical Garden
The project will also future-proof BBG’s role in plant conservation and environmental education, revising its founding scientific purpose through deeper collaboration with strategic Higher Education partners, including the University of Birmingham and Birmingham City University. The project will safeguard a unique institution and create a place of horticultural excellence, research and learning in an outstanding biodiverse natural environment for all in Birmingham and beyond. New outdoor learning facilities will deliver a step change in learning outside the classroom. We will welcome 25,000 school children each year, expanding learning provision around plants, heritage, biodiversity and environmental sustainability, to meet growing demand for BBG’s award-winning schools’ programme.
© Image by Benjamin Taylor, image owned by Birmingham Botanical Gardens
The project will develop the Gardens’ relationship with new and existing audiences through an exciting Engagement and Learning programme. Accessibility and visitor experience will be improved, whilst volunteering will be increased and diversified. This funding will enable creative approaches to shaping and sharing the stories of the Gardens and its plant collection. New multi-voiced, co-created heritage interpretation, representing the perspectives of Birmingham’s communities, will be woven throughout the site, better reflecting the Gardens’ special place in Birmingham’s history and its important role within the city today.
Nazreen Bi of Balsall Heath Children Action Team Support said:
“As a local organisation supporting children with disabilities and complex needs and their families, we really welcome opportunities to visit Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Families truly value this green, safe, and accessible space, where they receive a warm welcome and where our children can explore and play freely. We look forward to working in partnership as we explore opportunities for respite, connection and supporting the Gardens in creating a more accessible visit for all.”
A stunning central courtyard will be created through the demolition of the detrimental add-ons, enabling BBG to host a wide range of income-generating events. Outdated buildings will be removed, and where possible, materials will be reused, taking a circular economy approach.
The existing café will be intelligently reused to create a visitor welcome building which will radically improve the visitor experience, including an expanded café overlooking the Gardens and a new reception, retail and plant sales area, contributing to long-term financial sustainability.
“The National Lottery Heritage Fund has given a huge endorsement of the importance of the Gardens to Birmingham and the significant development progress to date,” said Sara Blair Manning
“It is a testament to our team’s dedication, expertise and strategic planning, and we thank National Lottery players who have made this grant possible, which will enable us to improve and safeguard the Gardens for future generations”.
“The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support represents an exciting strategic investment in the Gardens’ long-term vision. It also evidences the national importance of nature, and its related health and wellbeing benefits, for everyone. This £19.4m project is the first phase of a transformational masterplan development for the Gardens to be delivered over the next 10 years”.
For more information, visit birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Westbourne Rd, Birmingham B15 3TR.
