The Kibble Palace at Glasgow Botanic Gardens
We know that many people find Winter very difficult season, the lack of daylight and the greenery for a long period of time can have an impact on your mental health and wellbeing. We’ve got an idea for you- how about going to your closest botanic garden? Grab a friend or go solo, and make a day trip out of it! We promise that it will uplift your mood and possibly will inspire you to do creative things!
Glasgow Botanics Gardens is the power place for us when the days feel particularly dull! When we used to live in London, the Barbican Conservatory was our sanctuary for the many winter days. In the UK’s climate, where most of the winter months are grey/brown with the little of the sunshine and mostly grey clouds (plus add a continuous rain and not so occasional strong winds), it turns out that visiting the local botanic gardens can be good for you and your health, both physical and mental health! The effect is stronger especially in the winter months, the warm air inside of the garden and the tropical green plants transform you in different reality for a littlewhile and boost you with the new, positive energy. It’s a place of self-therapy, possibly even self-discovery and it just makes for a lovely afternoon to spend in the company of the plants. Glasgow in that matter of the fact has an exquisite botanic garden, which is also a ‘Grade A’ listed building.
WHAT IS A ‘GRADE A’ LISTED BUILDING?
A building is listed when it is of special architectural or historic interest considered to be of national importance and therefore worth protecting.
THE KIBBLE PALACE
You can take a 3D tour inside the Kibble Palace here. Or scroll down to take a look at the images I took last time I went there.
Located at the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, the Kibble Palace is a Victorian glasshouse of cast iron construction, an extensive temperate and tropical plant collection & fine sculptures makes it a beautiful place to visit.
Before it was a palace it was a private conservatory at Loch Long in Coulport. It was moved to its present site in 1873 and was first used as a concert hall and meeting place.
ARCHITECTURE
The Kibble Palace is an iron and glass structure of conservatory, it is one of the finest examples of Victorian engineering in Britain. The structure had a major restoration in 2006 and was dismantled for repair and conservation.
The use of glass in conjunction with slender iron glazing bars seen in the Kibble Palace was almost unique in the 19th century. It was based on the development of arched domes without tie rods and the manufacture of the structure was effectively based on a form of industrialised building, the structural frame elements being mass-produced. These frames were made from wrought-iron and were supported internally on iron ring beams and cast-iron columns. The building was a state-of-the-art solution for that time. The main dome is 146 ft in diameter and 43 ft high and after 140 years is lasting well and carefully maintained.
OPENING TIMES
GROUNDS: 7am - dusk (all year)
GLASSHOUSES: 10am - 6pm
WINTER: 10am - 4.15pm
TEAROOMS: 10am - 6pm
Winter: 10am - 4pm
BOTANIC GARDENS ADDRESS
730 Great Western Road,
Glasgow,
City Of Glasgow,
G12 0UE
