Heritage Now: A Biodiversity Hotspot
An ecological oasis amongst the gridlock of urban life, Rippon Lea’s gardens are a beacon of biodiversity.
Environment
From trees to gardens to landscapes, explore our living, breathing heritage
Explore stories about Environment
Conservatories Then and Now
The conservatories at Rippon Lea have always been a huge draw for visitors. Fashionable in Victorian times, they were built to wow guests.
Gentlemen and Their Orchids
Rippon Lea was famous across Australia and the world for its vast orchid collections. Frederick Sargood and later Benjamin Nathan caught “Orchidmania”.
The Surviving Cast Iron Conservatory
The Victorian cast-iron conservatory attached to the drawing room is the only one to survive at Rippon Lea.
Last of the Grand Ferneries
The Rippon Lea Fernery is one of the best surviving examples anywhere of a grand fern house from the ‘Golden Age’ of gardening.