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| Cycads lifted and ready to be moved to their home for the next few years. |
This Glasshouse is the largest at Kew, originally opened in 1863 and now the largest surviving Victorian Glasshouse in the world. Time and water have taken their toll on this building, and just 30 years since it was last restored it needs another full restoration. This does seem quite a short period of time, although the building itself was not constructed to todays modern standards, so hopefully the restoration will include modern techniques to ensure its long term survival, and hopefully allow it to reach its 200th anniversary in some 50 years time.
Many of the palms are having trenches dug next to them prior to moving. This is to encourage the palms roots to form a dense root ball, which will hopefully allow a more successful transplanting when they are eventually lifted completely. Kew state that they intend to return these palms to the Temperate house at the end of the project. With many likely to be stored in the tropical nursery at Kew in the meantime.
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| Washingtonia Palm also being prepared. |
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| The Stump of a former Washingtonia that was removed a couple of years ago when it outgrew its space. |
The final section was previously home to a number of Proteas and Cycads but is now mostly empty with many already removed.
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| That's a serious bit of lifting kit! |
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| Cycad already lifted |
In places the Glasshouse more closely resembles a nursery with plants lifted, potted, divided, and labelled.
With the work underway, sadly a common sight in the Temperate house now is this one until it re-opens.
The work is due to take place in stages so parts of the glasshouse will be open during the works, which also hopefully means some of it will be completed and re-opened ahead of the eight year timescale. As we are members we will be regular visitors during the restoration and will be keen to see how things develop.
Gaz
Kew Gardens Appeal
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
What an interesting post! You rarely get such a behind-the-scenes view, and in plain sight, too. What surprised me most is the size of some of the root balls, e.g. the very tall cycad--its root ball is much smaller than I thought.
ReplyDeleteI assume they have gone for the smallest they think hey can get away with. I guess the plants will have a few years being looked after out of sight before replanting.
DeleteThat's quite a project they have set out for themselves in moving all those plants. It's a beautiful and important building so good to see the preservation of it.
ReplyDeleteI'll be following along with you and also hope it does not remain empty for eight years.
Looking forward to it being restored its a shame the state the building has got into, hopefully this time they will keep on top of the maintenance!
DeleteWhat a major project and time consuming one to do it right. They are sure putting the effort into it which I can't blame them to make sure everything survives.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
It will be interesting to watch this develop, and lots of planing and preparation on their part
DeleteSo much work! I'm tired just thinking of digging up all of the plants, say nothing of the restoration itself. It will be wonderful to check back on the progress through your blog posts! Happy Twelfth Night!
ReplyDeleteWe will pop in whenever we visit Kew to see how they are getting on
DeleteHi Gaz, my jaw just dropped when I was reading the numbers that the renovation will cost. I really doubt that people in America would be willing to spent that much money on a project like this. But I am so happy that it is worth doing it to you Brits :-)! My husband and I have visited exactly that glasshouse when we have been in England four years ago and just loved it. It is exceptionally beautiful and I am glad that they are preserving it for future generations and also putting in all this effort so that the tropical plants survive the move.
ReplyDeleteChristina
It's an expensive project, but I guess for such a historic building they will want to use the best people and materials. I am not sure whether those figures also include adding modern updates to things light heating and water which I guess could end up costing quite a lot as well.
DeleteThat is really an amazing and lengthy project but so worth all the effort. Thanks for letting us see some of the process.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed it Candice!
DeleteI was showing your photos to Andrew and he said "well I guess we'll just have to go back when they're done and see if they did a good job!"...yep, I like that idea!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest you really should see it mid way as well to get the full experience :)
DeleteBlimey, and there was me moaning about the size of some of the plants I had to move recently. Fascinating. Dave
ReplyDeleteNo more moaning now David! But did you have the help and that lifting device to help!
DeleteHow interesting, I cant imagine the planning that has gone into the move. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteI suspect they have been planning this for a long time already. It's such an iconic building and in he past we preferred The Temperate House to even he Palm House, parly as we stand more chance of growing the plants in this one in our own garden or greenhouses although not to the size of some of these.
DeleteWow - I would not want to be the one responsible for potting up and then eventually transplanting all those plants. I hope they all make the transition well. Even empty, the house itself is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHolley I think I would rather be the one watching what is going on rather than being personally responsible. And yes the Temperate House is an amazing building even when empty.
DeleteThanks for preparing such an interesting blog post! We look forwad to reading more in the future!
ReplyDeleteKew Gardens Team
Glad you enjoyed it. It is great to see the attention to detail that is going into the preparation ahead of the restoration.
DeleteGoodnes, that must be a considerable logistical challenge. Fascinating to see pics of it part way through. Was intrigued to see that they don't trench all round the palms. And are some of the larger palms in those fancy bobbly pots that are supposed to be good for growing patio fruit trees in?
ReplyDeleteHi Janet, I think some palms were placed in those root pots but in the photos I can at least see tree ferns and cycads in them. It will be such a huge job removing, repotting, and eventually transplanting them back but it helps they're doing it in stages :)
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