Kibble Palace

From Loch Long to the West End

John Kibble, an engineer, astronomer and photographer, first put up the glasshouse at his home in Coulport, with John Boucher and James Cousland as architects. In 1871 he arranged for it to be dismantled and floated to Glasgow, enlarging it with a dome 150 feet across, and it opened in the Botanic Gardens in 1873. Once lit by 600 coloured gas lamps, it hosted the installation of both Disraeli and Gladstone as rectors of Glasgow University.

What grows inside

The tree ferns, planted in the 1880s, are now a National Collection. An Australian soft tree fern stands by the fish pond, carnivorous plants fill the north transept and Canary Islands plants the south. A linking corridor leads into the great dome, planted with species from southern Africa, Australasia, temperate Asia and South America.

Restoration and visiting

The palace closed in 2003, was taken apart and restored off site, and reopened on 30 November 2006. It is Category A listed. Entry to the gardens and glasshouses is free, but the glasshouses keep shorter hours than the grounds. Òran Mór is a short walk away for food or a drink.

Highlights

• Free entry
• National Collection of tree ferns
• Domed Victorian glasshouse, Category A listed
• Moved from Coulport on Loch Long in 1873
• Restored and reopened in 2006

Good to know

• Entry to the Botanic Gardens and glasshouses is free.
• The glasshouses close earlier than the gardens, so arrive well before late afternoon.
• The gardens' Tea Room serves cakes, lunch and afternoon tea.

Frequently asked questions