Wisley Gardens gets even greener

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On a trip to Wisley Gardens, Ava discovers the organisation’s plans for a greener future, and learns about their new RHS Hilltop building as an example of sustainability in construction and architecture

During the summer, Poorna and I visited Wisley, a Royal Horticultural Society garden that is probably familiar to many in the school community. I was keen to find out how the gardens have changed since my regular childhood trips. Wisley is now working towards “a greener future” with the opening of the new RHS Hilltop building this year. Referred to as “The Home of Gardening Science”, it has been designed to inspire the next generation of scientists.

We had the privilege of receiving a private tour of the building, with access to areas not usually open to the public. In the library, the number of gardening books was jaw-dropping, with all kinds of advice for gardening. This was topped off by the vault of old-school gardening magazines dating back to the 1930s. These magazines require extreme care to maintain and have to be stored at 15 degrees, which was a shock to me. I had no idea magazines had to be preserved in these conditions. Any members of Wisley can take out as many books as they’d like and if you ask nicely, they might let you into the vault!

RHS Garden Wisley, modern looking building with glass and wood and a pond full of green and pink plants and a wooden bridge going over it

For me, the science labs were the best part of the tour. Seeing scientists in action truly is fascinating. We watched as two scientists ran tests on a diseased plant. I had no clue what they were testing for – but was captivated nonetheless. The RHS Hilltop is a centre for a wide range of different science professions, from environmental horticulture to herbology. The scientists even have a service where they answer questions from the public about the well-being of their plants. They can take a sample of your plant and inform you what’s wrong with it and provide a solution.

Furthermore, as well as the Hilltop building, the RHS has created three gardens. The Wellbeing Garden, The Wildlife Garden, and The World Food Garden. My favourite was The Wellbeing Garden as it offered many interactive experiences, from running your hand through the long grass to sitting and listening to the therapeutic sound of water running. Moreover, our tour guide told us the benefits of a wellbeing garden. Not only is it calming but it also helps improve depression and anxiety. Many patients choose to go to a wellbeing garden weekly for recovery as it reduces reliance on medication.

Sustainable building

In typical Wisley fashion, the entire building process of the Hilltop was sustainable. An incredible 99% of waste generated from its construction has been recycled. Furthermore, to reduce the consumption of energy, natural lighting is used. In areas where natural light cannot reach, LED lights have been used, which require 75% less energy than other methods.

Overall, if you have any interest in environmental science or gardening, I highly recommend taking a trip to Wisley. The gardens are stunning and with a busy new school year ahead, it’s so important to get out and enjoy nature once in a while.