Last month the last two greenhouses that were being renovated at the Meise Botanic Garden reopened. The completion of renovation work of the Mediterranean Greenhouse and the Cloud Forest Greenhouse at Meise (Flemish Brabant) means that the renovation project at the Meise Botanic Garden that started two decades ago has been completed.
The Plant Palace was built in the Fifties and consists of 13 greenhouses covering a total area of one hectare. The greenhouses accommodate some of the richest ecosystems on the plant including the tropical rain forest, desert, savanna and swamps.
All pot plants have now been replanted in open ground, information panels have been added and the garden now boasts all the facilities it needs to welcome visitors.
A seven-metre-high artificial rock-face is the highlight of the Cloud Forest Greenhouse. It has been equipped with several waterfalls. Cloud forests are forests that occur in tropical mountains at an altitude of around 2,500 metres. They are present in several continents. Temperatures are high during the daytime but fall back at night creating conditions for an endless spring. Falling cold air hits humid, hot air creating condensation and a constant mist. Virtually all the plants in this greenhouse get their water from the mist.
“The Mediterranean greenhouse consists of terraces built of yellow limestone from the French region of Burgundy” explains scientific manager Marc Reynders. “A gargoyle that comes from the garden’s original location in Brussels at the Kruidtuin/Botanique creates a certain dynamic but also a peaceful noise. Richly perfumed Mediterranean plants not only grow around the Med, but also in California, Chili, South Africa, Australia and the Caribbean”.
The Mediterranean and Cloud Forest greenhouses reopened on 1 April. A ticket to the Botanic Garden also offers access to all the greenhouses.