The Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses, situated in Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK, are a 15 acre oasis of delight. Designed by J. C. Loudon, a leading garden planner, horticultural journalist and publisher, they opened to subscribers in 1832. The Gardens provide a unique service to schools and colleges in the West Midlands and beyond. Pupils are fortunate in being able to experience a wide variety of environments in one place. They can walk straight from experiencing hot and humid tropical conditions into a desert climate and observe changes to plants due to the seasons.