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Sandra Batley is an award-winning landscape designer.

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Garden under glass

It’s not every day you turn 200.

When the Royal Horticultural Society reached its bicentenary on 26 June it decided to celebrate. It built a glasshouse, but not just any glasshouse. The Queen even dropped by to open it.

This imposing curvaceous structure of glass and steel shimmers in the light on a sunny day. It appears to float upon the surrounding lake. However, looks aside the focus of this ingeniously designed Glasshouse is on cultivated garden plants rather than species that are the mainstay of most glasshouse collections. It showcases an extensive range of tender plants, as well as difficult to grow, rare and endangered species. Inside the Glasshouse, there are three computer-controlled zones to discover, a sustainable water supply for much of the garden and a learning centre, where gardeners of the future can learn about growing plants.

Glasshouse facts

It covers over 3,000sqm – the equivalent of 10 tennis courts or two Olympic-sized swimming pools.
At its highest point, you could stack three double-decker buses on top of each other.
The glass weighs 110 tonnes.
It houses 5,000 species, cultivators and hybrids.
It cost a whopping £7.7m or $NZ23m to build with funds generously given by its supporters. It was one of the biggest fund-raising appeals in the history of the RHS.
The lake is 4,000sqm and 3.5m deep. It is designed to provide a sustainable water resource for the Glasshouse.
The Glasshouse is largely heated by the sun, topped up with heat from a low-pressure.
hot-water system powered by high-efficiency gas boilers.
A computer system controls heating, lighting, ventilation and irrigation.
Rain water is channeled from the roof of the Glasshouse into the adjacent lake, forming an important reservoir resource for the rest of the garden during periods of drought.

Stepping inside

Entering the Glasshouse is breath taking. It is like walking into a temperate, exotic landscape, far removed from the English countryside surrounding it. A real contrast visually to the traditional mixed borders and rock gardens displayed at Wisley. Lush, tall palms, ferns and dazzling flower displays greet you at the door. The stunning display of tree ferns put a little smile on my face as a nice reminder of home. The balmy air was a pleasant reprieve from the cold and wind of the so called English summer outside.

What surprised me the most, was hearing the reactions from mostly English visitors. A genuine sense of pleasure at seeing plants so exotic and different. I was less in awe, probably only because I am lucky enough to use a lot of the temperate, tropical and dry zone plants in my landscaping projects here in Auckland.

What really impressed me was the central rock feature. A massive outcrop of artificial stone, towering right to the ceiling. A waterfall cascades four metres down into a pool at ground level. Visitors can walk behind the sheet of water and up onto the rock for a panoramic view of the palms, ferns and cycads below. The rock feature has several functions. It provides visitors with multiple perspectives around the Glasshouse, helps absorb the sun’s heat for the tropical house and conceals the underground cavern called the Root zone. An equally impressive educational space. Cleverly designed, it explained the secrets of plants, and their roots as they grow underground. A superb layout and very interesting.

Exploring the new

The Glasshouse is divided into three plant zones displaying plants from various climates around the world. Each designed to be explored and experienced by winding paths and steps spilling over with gorgeous, interesting plants.

Dry temperate zone; where plants adapt to survive dry times.

Moist temperate zone; where leaves unfurl in the damp air.

Tropical zone; where lush foliage and dramatic flowers flourish in heat and humidity.

Although some 85% of the collection has come from existing Wisley stock, such as a remarkable pair of Staghorn ferns, residents of Wisley since 1904. Additional specimens were bought in to add impact to the interior. Wisley’s curator scoured the world for stunning specimens, including 24 elegant palms. Further plants were given by botanic gardens and by RHS members. These included a Macrozamia cycad and a 3.5m tall Dragon tree, raised
from seed.

Making your way past the waterfall into the tropical zones, you are hit with an amazing display of Orchids, Bromeliads, Palms and other lush plants. Layers of vegetation with different forms and textures can be viewed from the elevated spot on top of the rock escarpment. What caught my eye was the pond, stocked with tropical water lilies. The tropical zone is kept at a constant temperature of 20°c and a relative humidity of 70%. An environment similar to a tropical rain forest. The dry temperate zone displays plants from desert climates, situated on the sunny, west side of the Glasshouse. Spiky beautiful succulents, Agave and Aloe Vera grown amongst a pebble rock landscape. Behind the tropical zone, on the shadier, east side of the Glasshouse is the moist temperate zone where you are greeted with a fantastic display of tree ferns and other groundcover ferns and epiphytes. It is heated to between 8-12°c. A real showcase for some of New Zealand’s iconic plants.

Visiting the Glasshouse at RHS Garden, Wisley was one of the highlights of my UK trip.

I really appreciated the ingenuity of the glasshouse design and the stunning architectural display both inside and out. In my next column I will give you a glimpse of the exceptional display of sculpture at The Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden in Surrey and also discuss my visit to Hampton Court Palace Flower show.

Sandra Batley of Flourish is a multi award-winning landscape designer based in Auckland. Sandra is passionate about, people, plants and design.

www.flourishgardens.co.nz