Currently the Birmingham Botanical Gardens are undergoing a multi-million pound modernisation program. This includes the removal of all the 1970`s buildings which are across the face of the car park area along with the National Bonsai Collection that is also within these structures. There is to be a Japanese themed area created in the lower gardens area, where a new display section for the National Bonsai Collection is to be created.

As many of the trees as possible will be on display within the gardens. Currently a selection is on the large patio area to the front of the glass houses, with more Bonsai having been taken from the display being housed within the gardens nursery area. There are also plans to create a temporary display area for the Collection close to the Japanese themed area.

The works involving the Japanese themed area are currently progressing well and are hoped to be completed by the end of this summer, at which point the National Bonsai Collection will be put in place.

Should you be visiting the gardens please ask the gardens staff about the current location of the National Bonsai Collection, as it is an ongoing project and may change throughout the next several months.

Barry Walker
Chair FNBC