posted by Catherine on Jan 21
Get away from the snow and step into a heated haven - filled with free flying butterflies!
RHS Wisley in Surrey, England, is cramming it’s huge glasshouses with butterflies from around the world to make a magical spectacle of colour.
The huge glasshouses cover an area the size of 10 tennis courts, according to their website, and it is already filled with wonderful temperate, tropical and desert living plants. All these plants are arranged on different levels, with a root section underground for you to explore as well.
With waterfeatures, orchids, ferns, cactus and passion flower curtains - the glasshouse will be a perfect habitat for butterflies to reside. They will be able to act as though they were in their natural habitats, so you will see them chasing each other around, feeding, and just resting on leaves - basking in the sun (hopefully).
There will be species from all over the world - including the huge Blue Morpho, one of the largest butterflies in the world which flies like a piece or fine tissue paper on a gentle breeze. A real sight to behold. I recently saw them flying free whilst in Costa Rica - and it is certainly something I want to see again!
The Theme:
Butterfly Conservation (a UK charity) are helping to arrange this event in Wisley, and it’s focus is to be on native species here in the UK. There will be experts from the charity on site to answer your questions and help you to identify species that you have seen in your gardens over the past year.
There will be displays throughout the centre, filled with information on plants that butterflies need to lay their eggs on, plants that the young caterpillars feed on and all sorts of tips for vreating a wildlife haven for them in your own back yard.
Butterflies make up a really important part of your gardens ecosystem, with the caterpillars feeding a whole host of garden birds and their spring chicks, and the adult butterflies are essential pollinaters for many British plants - not to mention a lovely sight in the wilflower meadows!
It won’t be long now until the spring brings out some early butterflies, and they want to encourage you to be ready for them. So there will be recommended plants to help them feed, plants to help them breed, and plants for their offspring to eat!
It’s also the time of year to start paying attention to the garden again - as things you plant now will be in full flower for the summer - perfect for these chaps!
The Site:
RHS Wisley is a huge outdoor wonderland with plenty to do outside of the glasshouses. So, if you only spend an hour or two inside - there will be plenty to keep you busy across the rest of the extensive site.
There is the never-ending orchards, the fruit gardens, vegetable plots and greenhouses and many many more sights to get you inspired for your own eco adventures back home.
The library, garden centre, field trials (row upon row of magnificent plant varieties hoping to achieve accreditation), landscape sculptures, the ornate water features, rock garden, maze and woodland paths. It is going to be a fun packed day out.
And the more people you go with - the cheaper it is to get in, and kids uner 6 are free anyway - so get your friends and family together and book a great day out with a difference!
Last time I went, I didn’t make it around in one day - so what a great excuse to go back!
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