The Liberec Botanical Garden has completed the reconstruction of the first three greenhouses

Liberec - The Liberec Botanical Garden has completed the reconstruction of the cladding of the first three cultivation greenhouses, which had served for a quarter of a century. The polycarbonate was already partially cracked, dirt and dust settled in its chambers, and moss was growing in places, reducing the amount of light transmitted, which is crucial for plant growth, said the garden's spokesperson Radka Kuchtová in a press release today. The restoration of the three smallest greenhouses cost more than two million crowns.

Work on the greenhouses began in June and was secured by the company Aerolux. Prior to the reconstruction, extensive relocation of plants took place, during which growers had to find new facilities for the duration of the repairs. Most of them were temporarily moved to the greenhouse for wintering palms, which is empty in summer because the palms and tree ferns spend this period outside. Succulents and cool-loving orchids were moved outside the greenhouses, while the warmest species found refuge in the large greenhouses. Only a refrigerated display case with pitcher plants was left on site, which could not be relocated.

The contractor first repaired the roof, then the side walls, which were supplemented with five new windows. The modernization also included the replacement of shades, which provide shade for plants in summer and help retain heat in winter. "Plants began to return to the new greenhouses in the second week of October when the weather was favorable. The new greenhouses are now much brighter, which is essential for plant growth,” added the garden's director Václav Lenk.

The Liberec Botanical Garden has nine greenhouse pavilions built between 1995 and 2000, which cost 155 million crowns at the time. They were built according to the design of architect Pavel Vaněček and their arrangement resembles a grouping of plant cells. In 2014, a pavilion for water lilies was added for 11 million crowns.

Since 2022, the garden has been administered by the Liberec Region, which took it over from the city. "After the takeover, we carefully investigated the condition of the facilities and found the necessity of replacing the cladding of the greenhouses. This is a demanding step because everything must happen during operation, and we have to adapt the work duration to the weather. The cultivation greenhouses represent the first stage of the replacement, with more to follow,” added the deputy governor Květa Vinklátová (Mayors for the Liberec Region).

The garden is now preparing for the second stage of reconstruction. The restoration will significantly involve a larger part of the greenhouses and will take longer than one season.