Gorilla Uprising at Chelsea
Tuesday 16 May 2006
This year ZSL will transform a little patch of Chelsea into African rainforest as it exhibits its very first show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – the unique and innovative Gorilla Garden.
Demonstrating the changing face of London Zoo, ZSL’s Gorilla Garden will immerse visitors to Chelsea in the sights, sounds and smells – including a plant that smells uncannily like a silverback gorilla - of the rainforest, giving them a taste of things to come at the Zoo.
Inspired by ZSL’s conservation work with gorillas in Gabon, our Gorilla Garden provides the perfect opportunity to trial the planting of our exciting £5.3 million gorilla enclosure, Gorilla Kingdom, opening at London Zoo for Easter 2007.
All of the plants and all of the structural elements of the show garden will be recycled for use in the permanent Gorilla Kingdom exhibit at London Zoo.
Gorilla Kingdom will bring the African rainforest to the heart of London, taking visitors close to a group of Western lowland gorillas and highlighting the issues threatening rainforests, the animals that live there and the people who depend on its natural resources for their livelihoods.
Designed by Graham Pockett of Graham Pockett Landscape and Garden Design, our Gorilla Garden will display how ZSL is pioneering the use of horticulture at London Zoo to create a greener and more enriching environment for both our animals and the public.
Kevin Frediani, Curator of Plants said: 'Gorilla Garden gives us the ideal opportunity to show the public how ZSL are realising the potential of plants in zoos.
Plants are an essential ingredient in the modern zoo, as they not only set the scene for the public and help beautify the site, but also enrich the lives of the animals.
Through modern design and good landscape management London Zoo is becoming a more exciting home for exotic and native animals, where they have the choice to be on view, to eat, to play and display other natural behaviours the visitor can truly appreciate.'
