Future Gardens (Part 1) Wildflowers and Butterflies
Last weekend we visited Future Gardens. These are designer gardens built as part of a new Butterfly World which is being created at Chiswell Green, near St Albans, Hertfordshire. It appears a strange place for show gardens but the emphasis is on sustainability and encouraging wild life so perhaps the siting is not as odd as it first appears. The gardens are open from 5th June to 4th October. I’ll post about the actual gardens in another post after I show you their surroundings.
We went with two friends and all four of us were bowled over by the wild flower planting which covers acres and acres of the site including the sides of the access road. The Digger almost ran off the road as he couldn’t keep his eyes off the flowers!
Wild flowers
Wild flowers
Wild flower
Wild flower
Wild flower
Wild flower
Wild flower
Wild flower
I haven’t a clue what their names are so any help would be appreciated. I’ve never seen a display like it and we were so pleased that we had seen it at its best. Here is part of a walk which leads up to a Giant Ant!
Wild flowers, Ant and Globe
Parts of the site are still uncompleted including some paths and the main butterfly attraction which is going to be a huge glass dome for tropical butterflies. In the meanwhile visitors have to make do with a small display. Small or not who can resist butterflies.
Temporary Tropical Butterfly House
Tree Nymph
Owl Butterfly snacking on an orange
There is also a garden outside for British Butterflies, which will include a glass dome and a lake nearby.
Part of the British Butterfly Garden
You can see that there is still some work to be done but we found it interesting to see the project in its early stages.
View from the British Butterfly Garden
I am guessing that this is where the Tropical Butterfly House will be built, below a large viewing platform which presently houses the Temporary Butterfly display I’ve shown above. At present there is a large silhouette of a butterfly marking the spot.
Site of Tropical Butterfly Dome
If you want to visit now is a good time as there is a 2 for 1 offer on. Don’t be put off by the fact that it is unfinished. There is a cafe and a shop…..and a plant sales area!!!!! Yes I bought 3 plants. There was quite a nice selection but I resisted overbuying. Mostly because the 4 of us took up most of the car space. Safety in numbers!
The Garden of the Rose run by the Royal National Rose Society is on an adjoining site so you can admire the roses after you have had your fill of display gardens, butterflies and wild flowers.
Garden of The Rose next door
I’ll post about the Future Gardens as soon as I can.
9 comments
Wow and some more wow, I love those wildflowers and there are masses of them, isn’t it great? Thanks for sharing!
Yolanda Elizabet: Yes they were quite overwhelming.
How incredible is that sight!! VERY! I saw daisies and a red/orange poppy.
Darla: I agree, it was incredible.
That is an amazing array of wildflowers! I have never seen anything like it, the diversity and colors. If that is any indication of how the rest of the space will be when completed, it will be without peer!
Frances
Frances: I’m looking forward to seeing the site when it is completely finished.
Oh, I would have driven off the road for sure! What an array – mind-boggling. That red one seems like a California poppy but I’m no expert. Are they mostly English wildflowers or from all over? Seems like maybe the latter? I look forward to seeing your further posts on this amazing place.
Karen: No they aren’t all British wild flowers, other annuals have been added I think.
I must I don’t know even the name of one single wild flower.
No, the red one is not a Californian poppy, you see a Californian on the picture under the red one).
As I know quite something about European native wild flowers, I’m pretty sure those flowers are no natives…
It looks like the flowers you find in a commercial available mixture for ‘flower meadows’ or ‘butterfly meadows’… Mixture that are blooming very rich in the first year (as it is merely composed of annual), but asks the field to be ploughed every year to return…
Anne: I agree. There were some British natives there but also many colourful, non native annuals in the mix. Presumably they were insect friendly given the nature of Butterfly World. I think you are correct about the “butterfly meadows package”.
What a fantastic sight…and understandable that Digger had trouble keeping eyes on the road! Incredible and beautiful! Where there bees a buzzing everywhere? gail
Gail: Indeed there was!
Thank you for your unique perspective. It is very interesting to see how a garden comes into being. I would love to know how various decisions are made…I am sure i would be very surprised.
Wow! – I love those wildflowers – would love to visit while there will still be some in flower and they have the 2 for 1 offer on, but I don’t normally go out in the school holidays because I’m so sensitive to noise. Was it very busy when you went? – it looks quite empty from your photos, or do you just do what I do and wait ages until there’s no-one standing in your shot? And were they doing any noisy building work when you were there?
Sorry, I’m a bit late getting to this post (I’m still catching up with blogs after going away in June) so I hope you see this comment.
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