tropical birthday treat

Who doesn't love flowers for their birthday? This year wonder | wander | women celebrated my 43rd year by visiting one of my favourite urban gardens, the Barbican Conservatory. This isn't the first time I've spent my birthday here; maybe it can become a tradition.  

The Conservatory is a contradiction: concrete balconies, glass and steel, and tropical rainforest richness everywhere. It squeezed my heart to see the shiny, broad leaves of truly monstrous monstera or the colourful spines of bird-of-paradise blooming in profusion in the middle of this mid-century cement complex...like the parks and markets of old Manila.

There are several ponds and flowing fountains around the ground level, all bursting with life. Palms and flowering shrubs and Spanish moss nod over the water. We lingered on the borders, snapping pictures or simply drinking in the beauty and variety.

The most popular pond is the crystal-clear fish nursery that houses the Conservatory's massive koi and several other carp. Everyone patiently waited their turn to lean over the side and photograph the silver, gold, or spotted neon orange fish with their gauzy tails and round bellies.

The elevated pond built halfway up the tower wall houses several terrapins (freshwater turtles), which enjoy basking on rocks in the sunlight - a perfect photo opportunity for visitors.

I had to track down my favourite spots and flowers. The tropical bromeliads had increased since my last visit and grew in profusion. 

Urn plant/Silver vase, Aechmea fasciata

The silver vase is as spikily pink as ever and the blushing bromeliad still brilliantly blushes. The bird-of-paradise was a juicy orange. The gumamela (hibiscus) leans out over the pond and the bougainvillea boldly climbs the steel supports.

Blushing bromeliad, Neoregelia carolinae

Unfortunately the Arid House with the paradise of succulents was closed. I took a sad picture through the door and waved to my favourites: the massive tentacular aloe near the back wall, and Fred the giant saguaro near the entrance (the largest of its kind in Europe, according to the Barbican Living website).

Surveying the spill of green growth from the vantage points around the conservatory, I felt a lump of homesickness grow in my throat. I spotted a few visitors from other tropical and subtropical countries wandering around with a combination of joy and nostalgia: India, Singapore, Taiwan.

Hibiscus (hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and Dendrocnide moroidea

These are the places of refuge we turn to when we feel far from our islands. A little patch of man-made rainforest where we can plant our uprooted hearts in a new home.