London 'plant parents' adopt a piece of historic Barbican urban jungle
LONDON: London’s Barbican Conservatory — a unique tropical escape above the city streets — was on Sunday transformed into an unlikely adoption centre, allowing hundreds of carefully screened “plant parents” to take home cuttings of its rare flora. Nestling among a concrete Brutalist backdrop, described as “one of the modern wonders of the world” by the late Queen Elizabeth, the conservatory…
In a unique twist, London's Barbican Conservatory, a tropical oasis nestled among Brutalist architecture, became an adoption centre for plant enthusiasts on Sunday. The conservatory, described as "one of the modern wonders of the world" by the late Queen Elizabeth, houses 800 species, many of which are endangered. With major renovations on the horizon, the conservatory will close at year's end, prompting plant lovers to adopt cuttings from its rare flora.
Fifty plant parents eagerly queued to take home a small piece of this urban jungle. To qualify, prospective adopters had to complete a form detailing where they would keep their cutting, even drawing a picture of the spot. Encouraged to give their new plant a name, successful applicants left with a care card outlining the necessary watering, humidity, and light conditions for their new green companion.
Among the popular cuttings donated by the conservatory were Swiss cheese plants, spider plants, arrowhead vines, and striking purple heart. Heather Ring, co-founder of Wayward Plants, which organized the event, noted the plant parents' enthusiasm for the unusual adoption process. "These plants are so charismatic, and these acts of care are really special," she remarked.
Lydia Goldberg, a resident of the Barbican estate, named her new Swedish ivy cutting "Nico". Despite the upcoming renovations, Goldberg expressed excitement about the conservatory's future transformation. "The renovations will take a few years, but it's going to look so gorgeous once it's done."
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