Secret Garden summer 2023 bloom at the Library of Birmingham

Get the lift up to level 7 to experience the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham in full bloom, this summer 2023! The views may have got a bit the same and boring (nothing new). But there is benches to sit down if you want, and enjoy the sunshine and the flowers. We also had a look at the Secret Garden during spring 2023, a few months earlier.

A visit to the Secret Garden on the 25th April 2023. Remember if you come up here, do not use your drone! It is not allowed!

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In mid spring, the flowers were looking quite lush on the seventh floor garden terrace.

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Red flowers seen at the Secret Garden on the 1st June 2023. Google Lens say that they are Avens.

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The quick visit of the 14th June 2023. The flowers and plants are in full bloom, the sky was blue, and it was hot during the June Summer 2023 heatwave!

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Photography by Elliott Brown

The Discovery Terrace and the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham during September 2013

The Library of Birmingham opened to the public back in early September 2013. Elliott had his fist visit on the 21st September 2013 in the late afternoon, with just about time to visit the Discovery Terrace. With closing at 5pm, he returned a week later on the 28th September 2013 to head up to the Secret Garden for the first time. Since then he has been loads of times over the years.

A digital tour of the Discovery Terrace and the Secret Garden at the Library of Birmingham. As they were during September 2013, within a few weeks of the Library opening to the public.

To see Elliott's previous Library of Birmingham posts from the September 2013 visits click the links below:

• Shakespeare Memorial Room
• Tour of the Library of Birmingham

Discovery Terrace

Located on Level 3, the Discovery Terrace is accessed through the Revolving doors from the Discovery Floor (this was later replaced with automatic doors years later). Facing Centenary Square and the Arena Central site. Part of it goes around the side of the Library with a view of City Centre Gardens below.

On the 21st September 2013 you could see the old John Madin designed Birmingham Central Library and NatWest Tower (103 Colmore Row).

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Was a bit of an animal art trail on the Discovery Terrace at the time.

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Area at the back was not accessible at the time with all these barriers with something that was being finished off.

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Looks like the only way to this section that day was via the side door from the library.

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Some kind of bird house.

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Secret Garden

Located on Level 7, you can get the travelator up from Level 3 to 4, then the lift or stairs up to Level 7. The Glass Lift initially worked in it's first year, but has not worked for many years or even been fixed. Press the disabled door button to open the door to the Secret Garden. It has views to the back of the Library, plus you can go around to the front for views of the City Centre.

On the 28th September 2013, there was a lot of people up on the Secret Garden. Views from up here are spectacular and change all the time. Although sometimes gets a bit boring on repeated visits over the years.

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Some more colourful art installations for people to look out for at the time.

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Wooden benches to sit down on and rest.

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The view at the front over Centenary Square was quite busy that day.

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Lots of colourful flowers up here. They regularly change them all the time.

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Another bird house up here as well.

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Over they years since, it does get a bit frustrating when the only thing to see is all of those construction sites, and I don't always want to take photos of them. Would be nice to somehow get access to the top of other tall buildings for photo views. Ran out of things to take up here. It's only those events that used to happen in Centenary Square down below that made a change from the usual views.

The Library has been closed since the first lockdown. Apart from people going for books, the terraces have yet to be reopened to the public, so I have no idea when I'll be going back up there. It wont be any time soon, that's for sure.

With a Second Lockdown (for at least a month), it means that there has been no access up to the terraces for 8 or 9 months and counting. The library had only reopened for people taking out or returning books only.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown.