Londoners can now take home a piece of the Barbican Conservatory before its three-year closure – here’s how

“Each cutting is the beginning of something new, and as thousands of plants start putting down roots across London, we’ll be laying the foundations for a greener, more resilient and more welcoming Conservatory than ever before.”

On the roof of the Barbican Theatre, surrounding its 100-foot flytower, the multi-storey glasshouse has become one of the city’s most recognisable indoor gardens since its inception in the 1980s. Today, it’s home to 800 plant species, lovingly and expertly cared for by the Barbican horticultural team.

Rather than opening a few times a month as it does today, the renovation project, overseen by the in-house team and Harris Bugg Studio, will transform the space into one that’s open daily, with upgrades to waterproofing, heating, glazing and irrigation systems.

The first plant adoption event is being held on Wednesday 19 August, between 12pm and 5pm, and is now open for booking. Subsequent adoption events are planned for 13 September and 2 December. On 29 November, Young Barbican members will also be invited to adopt a plant. Details for how to sign up for a plant adoption event can be found at barbican.org.uk.