Plant Collections

^{Orchids in the Orchid House}

Orchids, Palms and Cycads are the main collections of the Gardens, and the focus of present and forthcoming collection efforts. It is our intention to maintain the cosmopolitan flavour of our cycad collection, which is currently ranked among the top ten botanical garden cycad collections in the world. 

Palm and orchid collections will increasingly focus on documented accessions of African species. World-wide, botanic gardens are changing, as threats to plants and ecosystems become more grave. Ironically, this makes it an exciting time for botanic gardens, as their multiple possible roles in conservation and education are recognised by governments and international agencies.

Fundamental to our participation in these new challenges, is the development of conservation-significant plant collections, and professional management of these collections. Unless our collections are curated comparably with those of the world's top gardens, then attempts to increase their educational and scientific value are diminished.

• Click on the links on the left of the screen to find out more about our collections