Hundreds of London plant lovers have been given the chance to take home a living piece of the Barbican Conservatory before the iconic glasshouse closes for a major restoration.
The first plant adoption event at the Barbican Conservatory saw 500 cuttings offered to carefully selected “plant parents” on Sunday. Each successful applicant was asked to explain, or even draw, where their new plant would live at home.
Fast Facts
- 500 cuttings were available at the first public adoption event.
- The Barbican Conservatory contains around 800 plant species, including rare and threatened varieties.
- The conservatory is scheduled to close in January 2027.
- Restoration work is expected to last three years, with reopening planned for 2030.
- The renovated garden is planned to return as a free public garden with daily access.
- More than 2,000 additional cuttings are expected to be made available through the wider adoption programme.
The unusual scheme comes as the Barbican’s tropical garden prepares for a major overhaul of its ageing infrastructure. Rather than simply clearing the space before construction begins, the project is giving some of its plants a temporary new chapter in homes, community spaces and other organisations.
For the people selected, the cuttings offer something more personal than an ordinary houseplant: a connection to one of London’s most distinctive public gardens.
A tropical garden above London’s Brutalist estate
The Barbican Conservatory sits above the streets of London within the Barbican Estate, surrounded by the complex’s striking Brutalist architecture.
The garden contains around 800 species, including rare and threatened plants, and has become one of the best-known spaces within the Barbican.
Built around the Barbican Theatre’s 100-foot fly tower, the Conservatory opened in 1982. Its combination of tropical vegetation, glass and concrete has made it a distinctive part of the estate.
The late Queen Elizabeth II once described the Barbican as being among the modern wonders of the world, adding to the cultural significance attached to the complex.
Now, the Conservatory itself is approaching a major turning point.
Why the Barbican Conservatory is closing
The glasshouse is due to close in January 2027 while extensive restoration work takes place.
Its waterproofing, heating, glazing and irrigation systems all require replacement. The project is also intended to improve accessibility and reduce the environmental impact of the garden.
The work is expected to take about three years, with the Conservatory planned to reopen in 2030.
When it returns, the garden is expected to operate as a free public space with daily access.
The closure does not mean every plant currently growing inside will disappear.
Some specimens will be retained so they can eventually be replanted, while others will go to organisations and community projects.
The adoption programme is one part of that wider effort to give the Conservatory’s plant collection somewhere to go during the transformation.
What plant parents had to do
The first adoption event was not simply a case of arriving and picking a plant.
Applicants were asked to describe where their cutting would live, with organisers even inviting them to draw the proposed location. They were also encouraged to name their plant and identify its parent plant somewhere inside the Conservatory.
Those who were successful received a care card explaining the specific requirements of their new plant, including watering, humidity and light.
Among the cuttings were Swiss cheese plants, spider plants, arrowhead vines, purple heart and Swedish ivy.
The process helped turn the handover into something closer to an adoption than a giveaway.
Heather Ring, co-founder of Wayward Plants, which helped organise the event, said the plants had a strong character and that the acts of caring for them were particularly meaningful.
Lydia Goldberg takes home “Nico”
Among those taking part was Barbican Estate resident Lydia Goldberg, who adopted a Swedish ivy cutting.
She named the plant “Nico”.
For Goldberg, the coming renovation is not simply the loss of access to the Conservatory for several years. She is looking ahead to what the space could become after the work is completed.
The adopted plant gives her a small connection to the garden while the Conservatory undergoes its transformation.
Thousands more cuttings planned
The 500 plants offered at Sunday’s event are only the beginning of the wider programme.
Wayward Plants is propagating thousands of cuttings at its Reuse Centre, with more than 2,000 expected to become available through the broader adoption effort.
Another public adoption event is planned for December.
Young Barbican members will also have an opportunity to participate in November.
The approach means the Conservatory’s plant collection can continue to spread beyond the glasshouse while restoration takes place, rather than being treated simply as part of the building that must be removed for construction.
The next chapter for the Barbican’s urban jungle
The restoration will temporarily change how visitors experience one of London’s most unusual gardens, but the aim is to bring the Conservatory back with upgraded infrastructure and a more sustainable future.
For plant lovers, the adoption programme offers a different way to stay connected to the space.
A Swedish ivy named Nico, a spider plant or a cutting of a Swiss cheese plant may eventually sit in an ordinary London home, far from the glasshouse where its parent plant continues to grow.
By the time the Barbican Conservatory reopens in 2030, thousands of these adopted cuttings could have become living reminders of the garden’s restoration years.
What began as a practical response to a three-year closure has therefore become something more personal: a way for the Barbican’s urban jungle to put down roots beyond the Conservatory itself.
FAQs
When will the Barbican Conservatory close?
The Barbican Conservatory is scheduled to close in January 2027 for major restoration work.
When will the Barbican Conservatory reopen?
The restoration is expected to take three years, with reopening planned for 2030.
How many plants were offered at the first adoption event?
Five hundred plant cuttings were offered during the first public adoption event.
What plants could people adopt?
The cuttings included Swedish ivy, Swiss cheese plants, spider plants, arrowhead vines and purple heart.
Will all Barbican Conservatory plants be removed?
No. Some plants will be retained for replanting, while others will be donated to organisations and community projects.
