School pupils from Ysgol San Siôr in Llandudno spent an inspiring day at Treborth Botanical Gardens in Bangor where they had chance to eat the locally grown Bananas and see coffee growing in Wales!
The children spent the day at Treborth, enjoying ‘A Day in the Life of an Ecologist’ which was organised by Wild Elements, a social enterprise that encourages children and adults across the North Wales to go outside and be closer to nature.
Treborth Botanic Garden covers an area of 18 hectares on the shores of the Menai Strait and has been owned by Bangor University since 1960. The garden comprises of native woodland, species rich unimproved grassland and a managed orchard and many mature trees and shrubs.
There are also six glasshouses of varying temperatures, with special collections including orchids, cacti, succulents and carnivorous plants and of course a banana and coffee plants.
The Tropical Glasshouse replicates the year-round warm and moist ‘rainforest’ conditions of the Earth’s tropical regions for plants ranging from South and Central America, Africa, Asia and northern parts of Australia, with temperatures kept between 18–35 degrees. The glasshouse is kept humid by automatic misters and hand watering. On hot days the temperature can reach up to 40 degrees and the air becomes completely saturated with water.
A spokesperson from Treborth Botanic Garden said: “Last year our coffee plant here at flowered beautifully – twice! It developed fruits which are now fully grown and are red, yellow and brown.
“I’m not sure at what stage they are ‘ready’, but I’d like to have a go at roasting them to make North Wales’ first pot of home-grown coffee! And we’d also like to film the process too.”
The outside garden has free access to the public at all times and the glasshouses are open at selected times when staff or volunteers are present.
Coffee Beans & Bananas growing at Treborth Botanical Gardens in Bangor
