Birmingham Botanical Gardens

What lovelier place is there to spend the May Day Bank Holiday than at Birmingham Botanical Gardens? Designed in 1829/30 by the eminent garden planner John Claudius Loudon, the grounds have been showcasing Birmingham's horticultural excellence for nearly 200 years yet I'd never had the pleasure of visiting them until now...

- Glasshouse Entrance -

I have my friend and library colleague Emily to thank for inspiring this particular outing, with the Westbourne Road location being just down the road from Birmingham City University's City South campus. I duly make my way across to leafy Edgbaston, noting the queues forming at the reception desk - it seems plenty of other people have had the same idea about how to spend their extra day off. Standard adult admission is £9 but well worth the money when you get to investigate the Grade II* listed landscape in all its glory. The site covers around fifteen acres all told, based upon Holly Bank Farm as historically leased from the Calthorpe Estate.

- Trailing Wisteria -

The main entrance and gift shop feed directly into four fascinating glasshouse zones where you can really sense the humidity in the air. These in turn comprise tropical, subtropical, arid and Mediterranean sections with wild banana trees and flaming swords among the species to initially catch the eye. Venturing down through the Alan King Alpine Garden, there are pretty purple and lilac wisteria plants hugging the far brick walls whilst small greenhouses display miniature succulents. The koi carp tank has some very beady-eyed fish!

- Edgbaston Archery & Lawn Tennis Society -

Cameron Path flanks the courts of the Edgbaston Archery & Law Tennis Society, itself a proud and prestigious organisation which holds the record for being the oldest surviving lawn tennis club on the planet (who am I to argue with a blue plaque). Some kiddies coaching appears to be underway as drop shots, smashes and ace serves are attempted with varying degrees of success. The Hugh Nettlefold Rock Garden meanwhile originates from 1895, the Nettlefolds having been a prominent local family with interests in the manufacturing of screws.

- A Riot of Rhododendrons -

Arguably the most spectacular part of the gardens - especially at this time of year - has to be the Rhododendron Walk, where tall bushes line either side of the winding path and present a cacophony of colours: pearly white, blood orange, blushing pink and vibrant red. Such sights are backed up by the sensuous perfume filling the air, leading neatly towards the bog garden where the discovery of newts requires specialist wildlife conservation techniques. Elsewhere, the fern garden offers fluttery fronds with hints of a statuesque classical lady beside a pool.

- Historic Glasshouses -

Doubling back towards the reception area, its impossible to resist the lure of cakes from the Medicine Bakery - raspberry blondies, walnut-topped carrot cake, giant chocolate cookies and your classic scones are all available making it oh so difficult to pick which one you want to eat. Once you've settled on an indulgent treat, it's an absolute pleasure to sit on the grassy bank gazing out over the Peter Sowerby Bandstand. A talented harpist is expertly plucking strings to the tune of 'Dancing Queen' and 'Let's Go Fly A Kite' - you don't often get ABBA and Mary Poppins on the same playlist!

- The Alpine Garden -

A second full circuit of the entire grounds gives scope for further photography, in which case the Alpine Garden really shines through thanks to precarious clumps of planting in amongst the stony crevices. A Black Country Woodturners exhibition is underway inside the function suite with one charming elderly craftsman telling of how he's been woodworking all his life, fashioning little puzzle trinkets that have had folk baffled until you know the knack - I still haven't been furnished with said secret! The well-stocked gift shop has a book exchange alongside much in the way of gardening inspiration. A Bank Holiday well spent, cheers!