Custom LEGO Ideas Botanical Garden gates highlight downsides of GWP

Custom designs for the LEGO Ideas 21353 The Botanical Garden GWP have surfaced, showcasing a few downsides of 5009005 Entrance Gate.

While time is running out to pick up 5009005 Entrance Gate with purchases of 21353 The Botanical Garden, the build isn't a perfect companion to the bigger LEGO Ideas set as outlined in our review. While it uses many of the same elements, its size and the taller plates don't blend seamlessly with the full model.

Two users on Rebrickable have evidently felt the same way since the reveal of 5009005 Entrance Gate and have published their takes on the LEGO Ideas gate GWP. Their similar designs highlight some of the downsides of the official model.

Both Bendy Bricks' and brick_piso89's models are much larger than the LEGO Ideas set, using 487 and 273 parts respectively as opposed to the 152 elements of the official model. These might be too large for a gift-with-purchase, though they do a good job of showcasing what the official set would have been with an increased budget or even as a separate add-on.

Both custom models integrate an actual gate too, which the LEGO Ideas GWP does not include, opting for an arch despite the name. Brick_piso89's smaller model is designed to attach directly to 21353 The Botanical Garden with exposed tiles and the same pink flowerbeds as the main set and the addition of a decorated tile teasing the garden indirectly links to it to.

5009005 Entrance Gate does not physically attach to the LEGO Ideas set and is raised compared to the botanical garden as it is on standard plates instead of a thinner baseplate, which also creates a step down for minifigures between the sets.

Both custom models have this same problem, likely due to the lack of smaller baseplates currently available. Without modifying 21353 The Botanical Garden to be on many standard plates rather than two baseplates, it's a consistent issue across custom and official models alike.

Still, they demonstrate the potential of 21353 The Botanical Garden as much as they highlight the downsides of 5009005 Entrance Gate. You can pick up the LEGO Ideas model and there's still time to get the GWP in the UK until tomorrow or while stocks last.

Featured image: Bendy Bricks and brick_piso89

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