Birmingham Botanical Gardens Marks 175 Years of Giant Waterlilies with Interactive Exhibition

Birmingham Botanical Gardens is commemorating 175 years of its giant waterlily heritage during this year’s International Day of Birmingham. From 24th to 25th September, the Gardens will transform the Glass Corridor at Birmingham Council House to highlight the historic Lily House and its unique connection to these extraordinary plants.

The story centres on the Victoria amazonica waterlily, which was first introduced to the Gardens in 1852 by the Victorian horticulturist Joseph Paxton. This arrival prompted the construction of a dedicated Lily Glasshouse featuring a 24-foot pool designed to mimic the plant’s tropical environment. The original building was rebuilt in 1904 and later restored to its initial design in 1977, when it was renamed the Tropical House.

Nearly a century after the initial cultivation, the giant waterlily made a return to Birmingham Botanical Gardens in 2024. Led by Senior Glasshouse Horticulturalist Alberto Trinco, the reintroduction involved growing Victoria cruziana, a species chosen for its better adaptability to the cooler British climate. The seeds for this project were generously provided by Cambridge Botanic Garden.

Visitors to the exhibition will encounter actual giant waterlily leaves alongside historic photographs from 1910, which depict two girls balancing on the massive leaves of the Victoria amazonica inside the glasshouse. Attendees will have the chance to recreate these iconic images themselves, celebrating Birmingham’s rich botanical history.

Those attending the International Day of Birmingham event can expect several highlights, including the unveiling of a new interactive artwork by local artist and illustrator Emily Birch, inspired by the Gardens’ renowned waterlily. Visitors will also be invited to step into a vintage 1920s photograph, climb aboard a giant waterlily prop, and pose with a distinctive Brummie twist.

The exhibition will feature a vibrant display of aquatic and glasshouse plants, including an up-close look at a real giant waterlily leaf. Attendees can also learn about the city’s botanical heritage and the Gardens’ ongoing ‘Growing Our Green Heritage Project,’ which aims to restore the Glasshouse estate to its former glory while enhancing visitor facilities. Information on how to support the project through donations will be available.

Alberto Trinco said: “Giant waterlilies have fascinated visitors at Birmingham Botanical Gardens for generations, dating all the way back to the 1850s. We’re excited to be showcasing the horticultural skill and knowledge that goes into growing these remarkable plants and giving visitors the chance to see a giant waterlily up close.”

Sara Blair Manning, CEO at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, added: “Our International Day of Birmingham takeover is the perfect opportunity to learn more about one of our most iconic plants with a Brummie twist, because us Brummies always do things differently!”

Emily Birch, the illustrator behind the new artwork, commented: “I’m incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to bring this beautiful, historic photograph of the giant waterlily to the modern day through the use of colourful illustrations. I’ve had a lot of fun trying to capture the greenhouses as they are today and give them some Brummie magic ready for the festival!”