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BELFAST
Botanic Gardens
The Botanic gardens 28 acre public park is situated close to the junction of the Malone road and Botanic avenue in south Belfast. Queens University is just a short distance away and the Ulster Museum practically in the same grounds as the gardens.
On the 22th June 1839 the foundation
stone of the curvilinear dome, Palm House was laid by the Marquis
of Donegal. One year later the completion of two wings (65ft long x 20ft
high x 20ft wide) gave the finishing touch at a cost of around £1,400.
Designed by Charles Lanyon who was responsible for many other fine buildings
here in Northern Ireland. Lanyon's final design (The 49 foot high elliptical
dome) differed from his original small square structure with a flat vertical
front. The dome was not added until 1852.
The cast-iron framework and the actual construction was undertaken by Richard Turner of the Hammersmith works at Ballsbridge Dublin city while the glazing job was done by walker also from Dublin.
Under the 3000 piece glass dome there are various Cacti, Palms, monstrous spiky agaves. A 350 year old Australian Grass Plant ( Anthorrhoea preissii) is a big showpiece under the same section. The Stove wing is filled mostly with smaller Palms, ferns. The other wing has a nice display of flowering plants and the colourfull nettle leaf coleus.
Old Postcard
Queens University students taking it easy in the Botanic gardens
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Last Updated: October 28, 2005