The project combines the recreational components of a contemporary tropical park with the horticultural focus of a Botanic Garden and Bay South sets out to explore the cultural and ecological links between plant species and people and to display these in a variety of ways. At the centrepiece of the Gardens are two Cooled Conservatories, the Flower Dome containing a collection of plants from Mediterranean regions, and the Cloud Forest displaying plants from Tropical Montane regions. These cooled environments cover almost 20,000m2 in area and offer a unique indoor attraction for visitors whilst displaying plants from regions that would not survive in the outdoor tropical environment. The Conservatories provide a strong educational content based around the vulnerability of these plants to climate change and habitat loss.
