By Betty Struckhoff
Watching kids find little critters in pond water, some of them using a microscope, all under the helpful eyes of a docent made me think I could have been at Shaw Nature Reserve. But I was in the middle of London, one of the biggest, most densely populated cities on the planet, at the Wildlife Garden of the Natural History Museum. What a surprise to find acres of native English plants representing eight different habitats in the British Isles.
Map of the Wildlife Garden
The Wildlife Garden opened in 1995 and represents the museum’s first living exhibit. Over 2,300 species of plants and animals have been identified there.
Wildlife Garden at the London Museum of Natural History
Maybe the next time I go to London, I’ll visit the River of Flowers. It is under development and will include 10 locations along the Thames River planted in wildflowers.
What fun to know that other parts of the world are also learning to appreciate the beauty and diversity of native plants!
