Glasgow's botanic gardens at the top of Byres Road, free every day, with the Kibble Palace of 1873, its tree ferns, and glasshouses of orchids, cacti and palms.
At the top of Byres Road, where Great Western Road runs past, Glasgow keeps over 9,000 kinds of plant in more than 20 hectares of grounds that run down to the River Kelvin.
The gardens began in 1817 on eight acres at the west end of Sauchiehall Street, founded on Thomas Hopkirk's own plant collection, and moved here in 1842.
The building everyone comes for is the Kibble Palace, a curving house of iron and glass that John Kibble built as his own conservatory at Coulport on Loch Long and had shipped to Glasgow in 1873. It served first as a concert hall, where Disraeli and Gladstone both spoke, and now shelters a forest of southern tree ferns, a fish pond under the small dome and a set of marble statues. Beyond it, the main range of glasshouses holds orchids, begonias, cacti and a tropical jungle of palms and bananas.
The gardens and glasshouses are free, every day of the year.
John Kibble's own conservatory, built at Coulport on Loch Long and moved to Glasgow by barge, opening here in 1873. It was lit at first by 600 gas lamps that could be coloured.
The Kibble Palace keeps a fine collection of marble statues, among them 'Eve' and 'King Robert of Sicily'.
Planted in the 1880s, the southern hemisphere tree ferns under the big dome now form a National Collection.
The grounds open at seven in the morning and close at dusk.
The glasshouses open at ten and close at six from April to September, a quarter past four in winter. Entry to the gardens and the glasshouses is free. The tea room is open every day.
The gardens were founded on eight acres at the west end of Sauchiehall Street, at Sandyford, when Thomas Hopkirk of Dalbeth gave his own plant collection to start them. They moved out to Kelvinside in 1842.
William Jackson Hooker was Regius Professor of Botany at Glasgow from 1820 to 1841 and built the gardens' name across the botanical world. After twenty years in the city he left to become Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.
Before the Kibble Palace was filled with plants it was a concert hall and meeting place. Benjamin Disraeli was installed there as rector of the university on 19 November 1873, and William Gladstone in December 1879.
In May 1874 the evangelist Moody held a meeting in the Kibble Palace. Around 6,000 people packed inside, and somewhere between 15,000 and 30,000 gathered outside.
At first the gardens were mainly for members of the Royal Botanical Institution and their friends; the public were let in on set days for a penny. The city took them over in 1891, and today they are free every day.
The gardens hold the National Collections of begonias, tree ferns and Dendrobium orchids, besides economic and medicinal plants and a collection of trees that belongs to the National Tree Collections of Scotland.
Part of the city’s tapestry for more than 200 years, Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens house more than 9,000 different plants, many of them growing under the cover of the gargantuan curvilinear glasshouse that is the Kibble Palace. Away from the glasshouses, more than 20 hectares of landscaped grounds stretch along the banks of the River Kelvin.
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New places, news and stories, as we find them.
What is on in GlasgowThe West End of Glasgow, at the top of Byres Road on Great Western Road, running down to the River Kelvin.
Cottonrake CafeA bakery and cafe on Great Western Road.Under a mile 2 min by road
Cresswell LaneA lane of small shops and De Courcy's Arcade behind Byres Road.Under a mile 2 min by road
HillheadThe Victorian suburb that was a burgh of its own until 1891.Under a mile 3 min by road
Byres RoadThe high street of the West End, from the gardens' gate down to Partick Cross.Under a mile 3 min by road
Òran MórA church on the corner of Byres Road, now a bar, restaurant and theatre.Under a mile 3 min by road
Ashton LaneA cobbled lane of 1890s stables and workshops, lit overhead, with a cinema of 1921.Under a mile 3 min by road
Arrives at 5am every day.
A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.
Places to stay near the gardens, and when each is next free.
Moment Blythswood Street
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For further reading, before you go.
