Even though it’s summer and most days are warm to even hot, I never have enough of high, almost tropical temperatures. The forecast for Wednesday last week was relatively poor (only around 20°C, with possible showers?!), so because summer decided not to come to me that day, I thought I’d go and chase it myself. In the city where I used to study (just a 25-minute train ride from my town), there are indoor tropical gardens – or, as we call it, a palm house (palm trees don’t normally grow here in this climate). I believe it’s a similar place to more popular Kew Gardens in London, though I’m yet to visit those, so I can only guess.
The gardens are split into a few smaller areas, based on the type of plants they host, with varying temperatures and humidity – though I’d say all of them would be called tropical by most visitors. 🙂
The high ceiling allows tall trees – such as palm trees and banana trees – to grow completely indoors, unaffected by cold, snowy weather outside in winter. Each room has a staircase to a bridge in the canopy, so you can see those tall trees up close.
On top of the trees, the gardens also feature a variety of colourful flowers, smaller green plants, and succulents.
In addition, there are also some exotic animals on display – parrots, stick insects, turtles, lizards, snakes and even a squirrel (some exotic squirrel, not a species inhabiting our parks). There is also one room with four ginormous fish tanks.
The squirrel was so adorable! A fairly large part of one room was turned into its enclosure and filled with branches and ropes – the little guy made use of all of them and kept jumping around.
If you’d like to visit a jungle without having to leave your room, here’s a short video I shot in the gardens. Warning: one particularly adorable squirrel with apparent ADHD got a lot of screen time. 🙂
If you’re ever around, do consider visiting the Palm House in Gliwice, Poland. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, and an adult ticket is only around £2.
Alphe's Corner 
Such a good idea to go when you want to feel tropical 😊 the cactuses look awesome
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This is an amazing place, want to visit it! Lovely architecture outside, the tropics indoor are beautiful. Even some California Barrel Cacti. The squirrel is amazing and very graceful as he winds and jumps through his enclosure. I love your photo, so beautiful! 😍❤️
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Thank you 😊 The squirrel won the day, but I was kinda glad when it decided to go to sleep – I would have spent the entire day admiring its graceful jumps otherwise 😆
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This is really lovely, yes very similar to Kew Gardens. I often go there and in Winter I love the Palm /cacti house and the Waterlily house very much as they are warm. Kew has no animals though only 3 resident lizards in the house with the cacti. It is always rewarding to go there. Lovely pictures Alphe, thank you for taking us there.
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I can’t wait to see Kew Gardens, but I’ll probably leave it for winter, when it’s miserable outside. Places like these can give you such an endorphin boost during on cold days!
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You can let me know when you come and you can go with me for free, as I am a member of Kew and I can take one adult with me. ♥
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Oh that’s so kind of you, thank you! 😊🌷
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What a gorgeous place!!! My husband’s family lives in Poland, I so hope to add this garden to our list of places in Poland to visit 😀
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100% would recommended, especially in winter! 😊
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Thank you for an idea of a great place to visit in the winter.
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Great post — and awesome photos! I’ll have to go check this out sometime. Thanks for sharing!
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