(Photo: Colin Wing)
The SLBI, which celebrated its centenary in 2010, continues to fulfil its original remit to inspire local people to find fascination in the plant world.
The SLBI supports London’s smallest botanic garden, which is densely planted with over 500 labelled species, grown in a formal layout of themed borders. Traditional medicinal herbs grow beside plants used in current pharmaceutical research. Ferns, carnivorous plants, British natives, scented plants, monocots, and drought-tolerant plants are all featured, alongside rare trees and shrubs from the southern hemisphere.
Last year we created a new pond and wetland area at the heart of the garden. There is access for pond-dipping and new planting which will continue to provide a home for frogs and newts.
We have re-created the ‘living museum of strange visitors’, as the original garden was described in a newspaper article in 1912. The writer marvelled at the profusion of wildflowers allowed to flourish in the garden, and this tradition continues.
Other features include a specially commissioned mosaic, designed by Emma Biggs to celebrate the centenary.
Head gardener: Sarah Davey
