Zoos are the hardest green buildings there are. The climate has to suit the animal, the planting has to be non-toxic and survive being lived in, and the structure has to keep some species in and others out — while the public walks through it.
Habitat planting that survives the animals in it
We advise which species suit a specific indoor or outdoor habitat and which will be eaten, trampled, climbed or poisoned by its occupants. Every plant is checked against the animal before it reaches the planting plan, and animal welfare governs the design rather than decorating it.
We specify the plant, the position, the soil build-up and the maintenance regime, and we can supply the material — including large specimens — through our nursery network.
Zoo greenhouse and glasshouse design
- Butterfly houses — high humidity, stable warmth, flight volume and visitor airlocks
- Reptile houses — basking gradients, UV transmission, controlled ventilation
- Insect screening — mesh specification that contains the species without killing daylight
- Tropical walk-through halls — canopy height, mist, drainage and safe wet surfaces
- Free-flight aviaries and mixed-species enclosures in glass and steel
Choosing the right material
Glass, polycarbonate, ETFE and mesh each behave differently on light transmission, insulation, condensation, cleaning and lifespan — and each behaves differently again with a hot, humid, heavily planted interior. Zoo structures also have to tolerate cleaning regimes and biosecurity that a botanical glasshouse never sees.
We work with zoo architects and zoo product suppliers rather than replacing them, adding the greenery and glass structure expertise that most zoo projects are missing.
Climate before collection
In a zoo building the animal sets the climate and the planting has to live inside it — the reverse of a botanical glasshouse, where the collection sets the climate. A reptile house runs hot and dry with a basking gradient; a butterfly house runs warm and saturated; a nocturnal house runs on inverted lighting. Each of those is a different planting brief and a different technical building.
We fix the climate envelope with the zoo team first, then design a planting scheme that will actually survive in it, then specify irrigation and lighting that keep it going without disturbing the animals or the keepers.
What a zoo green package covers
- Species-safe planting plans per habitat, indoor and outdoor
- Glasshouse, mesh and screened structure design and construction
- Climate, ventilation, misting and irrigation for planted enclosures
- Substrate, drainage and root protection against digging and browsing
- Visitor routing, sightlines and safe wet surfaces through planted areas
- Supply of plant material, including large specimens
- Maintenance regimes written for keeper teams rather than gardeners
Frequently asked questions
Do you work alongside our zoo architect?
Regularly. Most of our zoo work sits next to an existing zoo architect and zoo product suppliers — we add the glasshouse structure, the climate and the planting.
Can you tell us which plants are safe for a specific species?
Yes. Plant selection is checked per species for toxicity, durability and browsing pressure before it enters the planting plan.
Do you supply the plants as well as design the planting?
Yes, including large specimen material, through our nursery network.
Projects we have delivered
Planning a new enclosure or house?
Tell us the species, the climate you need to hold and the volume you have. We will tell you what structure and planting it takes.