Birmingham trip to two gardens, Winterbourne House and Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Visit date Tuesday 12th May 2026

This GMG garden visit is slap bang in the central part of the country with great transport links, so it’s a great location to give everyone in the GMG the opportunity to attend.  The gardens are right next to each other in the centre of the city so are easy for us to get to.  Come to enjoy the gardens before the public arrive to create content, take photos or just explore.  We'll also be meeting in the evening for a curry buffet in the Balti Triangle so it's also a fantastic opportunity to spend time networking with other GMG members.  Even if you're not able to make the garden visit, you're still very welcome to join us for the curry.  

We'll be visiting Winterbourne (WB) House and Gardens in the morning to see their wonderful gardens and future plans with their new HG, then Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) in the afternoon which will focus on the glasshouses and the huge £19m renovation project they have to rebuild the glasshouses and rejuvenate the gardens.  For the WB visit the group will be split into two separate guided tours, one for early arrivals at 10am and another at 10.30am.  You will be greeted either by Indy or Jill from the GMG, or Jenny from WB.

Programme:
7am (Optional) WB arrival from 7am for anyone who wishes to explore the gardens, take photographs or create content
9.30 Tea room open early to buy hot drinks.  GMG members meet on terrace inside garden.  (Garden normally opens at 10.30am to public)
10  Group 1 intro from Paul, then guided tour of gardens by Lee
10.30 Group 2 intro from Paul, then guided tour of gardens by Fumiko
11 The house & printing press museum (with volunteer Dave) will be open for members to explore at your leisure
11.30 GMG group photo
Free to explore
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Lunch time, cafe available at WB or BBG
Travel via car share to BBG which is just a few minutes away
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1.45pm Meet at BBG entrance
2pm Presentation by Sara on redevelopment of the BBG glasshouses and garden
3pm Tour of glasshouse and garden with Bethan 
4pm Free to explore
5pm Garden closes
6pm (onwards) Meet at Indian restaurant for curry buffet 

-Names of contacts at Winterbourne
Jenny Bestwick - Communications and Events Supervisor
Lee Hale - Director of Winterbourne
Paul Cook - New HG (prev. Curator RHS Harlow Carr), replacing Dan Cartwright (20 years at WB)
Fumiko Miyachi - Horticultural Supervisor looking after the kitchen walled garden
Dave Fennell Wells - GMG & PGPA member & WB printing press volunteer

-Names of contacts at Birmingham Botanic Garden
Bethan Collerton - HG 
Sara Blair Manning - CEO
Courtney Wells - Retail and Commercial Manager

This is the BBG zoom webinar recording, please do watch it to get a taster of the renovation project.  
https://youtu.be/pwc7RCfStkE

Lunch is not provided so please either bring a packed lunch, or you can visit the cafe at WB or BBG.  Additionally there are several local places on the Hagley Road near BBG, including foods such as Persian, Indian, Nigerian, Chinese, Subway, Pizza or even Fish & Chips.

Car park at WB is free but limited, please use the What 3 Words location below which will take you to the exact entrance to the car park.
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For those NOT travelling by car, you can still use the W3W location to meet up.  
Alternatively the WB address is 58 Edgbaston Park Rd, Birmingham B15 2RT.
WB has 5 blue badge spaces, please let us know if you will require a space so it can be reserved.

In the evening we will be meeting for a social over an Indian curry buffet to give an additional opportunity for networking between GMG members (but please note this is NOT part of the official GMG event for insurance purposes).  Everyone is welcome to join us.  Please let us know if you'll be joining so we can book numbers.  We've invited the staff from the gardens to join us. Cost in the region of £20.

We have setup a Birmingham specific WhatsApp group for the visit.  Click here to join it.  
https://chat.whatsapp.com/D10gwIn6lesJ9AI1zrX5MH?mode=wwt
It will be useful to introduce yourselves beforehand, encourage networking, share important info on the day, arrange car shares, swap photos etc.  Plus some of you will be staying over so you may want to arrange a meetup the night before.

There are some early bird offers for hotel rooms for the night before, we’ve added a few hotel links below.

If you take photos or create content, please credit/tag University of Birmingham Winterbourne House & Gardens, or Birmingham Botanical Gardens.

Any questions, please feel free to get in touch with either:
Jill Anderson 
hello@jillandersongardens.co.uk   
07985 439205  

or myself Indy Rana 
club@tendershoots.uk
074 755 12323              

Thanks Jill Anderson & Indy Rana 

Here is the link directly to the Broadway hotel for the date of Monday 11th May.  The price starts at £30 or £32 for a King Size with pull out bed if you are sharing.  

This is the ibis hotel for £28

Other useful links.
www.winterbourne.org.uk
www.winterbourne.org.uk/about-us/the-winterbourne-press/
www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/the-gardens/future-development/
www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk/major-grant-from-the-national-lottery-heritage-fund-2025/
www.visitbirmingham.com/inspire-me/areas/balti

-Homework for booked attendees
1) We have an option for early entry from 7am at WB. Please let us know if you would like early entry and roughly what time?  If there are no confirmations then we will cancel this and instead arrive from 9.30-10.30am.
2) Are you joining us for the curry buffet social in the evening, so we can pre-book?
3) Do you have a preference for the 10am tour (Lee will focus on the overall strategy of the gardens and development for the public) or the 10.30am tour (Fumiko will focus on the gardens, edibles and walled garden), or happy with either?
4) Would you like a blue badge space reserving?
5) Join our Brum WhatsApp group.