Barbican Conservatory: A Peek Inside London's Secret Garden

Culture Trip explores a secret garden home to over 2,000 species of tropical plants, trees, exotic fish, and birds in the heart of London.

It’s a slice of tropical rainforest Londoners can visit without leaving Zone 1, but few people are aware that the Barbican Conservatory even exists.

As the second biggest conservatory in London after the one in Kew Gardens, the conservatory has ‘secret-garden’ status which makes it all the more enchanting, and when you catch sight of the arched wooden bridges over the ponds, you will feel like you are walking into a fairy tale.

The urban jungle that is the Barbican Conservatory

Marta is one of three resident gardeners responsible for looking after the Barbican Conservatory. She explains that the west side is inhabited by ‘shade-loving’ plants, so there are not many flowering ones positioned there, while the east side, which is bathed in more sunlight during the day, has plants that flower all year round. Everything from chilli plants to banana trees is growing right here, in the heart of the city. Two big ponds are home to exotic fish, while a smaller pond contains terrapins, which are said to have been transported from Hampstead Heath because they were damaging the local wildlife there. Visitors who venture upstairs will also discover Arid House, otherwise known as the cactus room.

Covering over 23,000 square feet, the conservatory is the second largest in London

Dividing the east and west sides, in the middle of the conservatory, is the large concrete fly tower of the Barbican Centre theatre. This is home to all the theatrical infrastructure used to move curtains, lights, scenery and even people around the stage. It was this imposing structure that inspired the establishment of the conservatory, originally intended to hide the aesthetically unappealing concrete tower. The Barbican’s Brutalist architecture is famously controversial – but it must count for something as it’s responsible for bringing about the existence of this fantastic conservatory.

The concrete fly tower in Barbican Conservatory

Visitors are welcome to explore the Barbican Conservatory on Sundays and Bank Holidays between 12pm and 5pm – but check it’s not closed for a private event before travelling. Tickets cost £12.50.

Barbican Conservatory, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS, England, +44 20 7638 4141

About the author

Ruaidhrí Carroll

London Travel Writer

Born to an Irish family, Ruaidhrí grew up in West London before moving to the East End to study history and politics at Queen Mary, University of London. He first joined Culture Trip as an intern, after gaining work experience at The Times, and soon took up the mantle of London Travel Writer. After a lifetime of committed research, it's safe to say Ruaidhrí knows the capital pretty well, but if you know about something cool, quirky or interesting going on, he wants to hear about it @RuaidhriCarroll