Palm House Plant Life
Asia | Africa | Europe | Australasia | The Americas
Liverpool's Botanical Collection was brought to the city from all over the world through its maritime trade. It is one of the largest municipal collections in the country, but it has not been open to the public since 1984. The Palm House provides a home for some of the collection and allows everybody to enjoy these hidden treasures once again.
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You can buy prints
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PLANS
The planting layout and scheme has aimed to retain as many of the original plants used in the Palm House as possible, incorporating species from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Click on the continent names to go to list of species in proposed planting
Plan of planting layout
History of the Botanical Collection
The collection was established nearly 200 years ago and was the first in the North of England. A group of Liverpool botanists led by William Roscoe decided to form a private botanic garden on land near Mount Pleasant, then on the outskirts of the City. In the 1830's the garden was relocated in an 11 acre wallled garden in Wavertree. When the project ran into financial problems in 1841, Liverpool Corporation took over and opened the gardens to the public. The Conservatory there was second in size to that of Kew Gardens. In 1941 this was sadly destroyed in the Blitz.
A third site for the glasshouse Botanical Collection was subsequently opened at Harthill in Calderstones Park in 1964. When this closed, 20 years later, most of the plants were transferred to the Council's Nursery.
LIVERPOOL BOTANIC GARDENS AND COLLECTION
- Became a famous centre for botanical study, 38 years before Kew Gardens came into existence.
- Held the most important dry plant collection in the country in the early 19th century, most of which still survives in the Liverpool Museum.
- The Botanical Garden's qualities were recognised nationally and internationally and copied for other botanical centres including Kingston-upon-Hull and Philadelphia.
- Became unrivalled in Europe for hardy and herbaceous plants and was one of the premier European Collections for orchids and bromeliads.
- The collection became a popular visitor attraction patronised by members of the royal family.
- Three groups of plants in the collection have been designated as "national collections" by the National Council for the the Conservation of Plants and Gardens Collection.
Seasonal planting displays at Sefton Park Palm House showcase the variety of species held in the collection.
