Tickets have gone live for two specialised guided tours at Birmingham Botanical Gardens as part of Birmingham Heritage Week 2026, offering visitors a unique look at the site's 200-year history. The Edgbaston attraction, one of the city's most prominent green heritage sites, will host the events during the 10-day festival running from Friday, September 11, until Sunday, September 20.
Two specialised tours now on sale
The two tours, Green Heritage in the Archive and A Potted History, are available to book now. Both provide new perspectives on the gardens, which feature 15 acres of landscaped grounds and four historic Victorian glasshouses designed by J.C. Loudon in 1829.
In addition to the paid tours, the gardens will be open to visitors from 10am to 5pm throughout the week, with free entry for the standard midweek experience. The dedicated tour slots, however, require paid tickets.
Green Heritage in the Archive: hands-on history session
The Green Heritage in the Archive tour is an indoor, hands-on archive session highlighting historic plant records and documented site history. It begins with an introduction to the Botanical Gardens' archival collections, followed by an interactive opportunity to inspect original 19th and 20th-century plant labels, seed catalogues, botanical magazines, plant lists, and herbaria.
The session will be held on Thursday, September 17, from 3pm to 4pm. Adult tickets cost £10, while concession tickets—covering those over 65, students, disabled visitors, and Blue Light Card holders—are priced at £9.
A Potted History: guided walk through 200 years
The second tour, A Potted History, is a 90-minute outdoor guided walk exploring the nearly 200-year evolution of the Grade II-listed 15-acre site. Led by an expert guide, the walk takes visitors through Loudon's original 1829 landscape design, the Victorian glasshouses, champion trees, and unique living plant collections.
The walk includes a stop at a plant specimen that is unique and the only known one of its kind in the world. It will be held on Thursday, September 17, from 11am to 12:30pm, with adult tickets costing £10 and concessions at £9.
Birmingham Heritage Week 2026 features hundreds of hidden places opening to the public, including popular attractions offering free entry and free National Trust tickets. A secret 'oasis' is also set to open its doors during the event, alongside the Botanical Gardens tours.
