Visit Kew Gardens

In the world of conservation, there’s a lot of emphasis put on the survival of endangered animals. The idea of an entire species being wiped off the planet forever because of the actions of humans makes most people feel an impotent meld of despair and anger.

But, of course, animals are not the only living things at risk from the destructive nature of humans.

Hundreds of plant species have been made extinct in the past few centuries and thousands more are at risk. It’s why the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London established the Millennium Seed Bank Project.

The Millennium Seed Bank is the largest off-site plant conservation project in the world. The aim is to collect the seeds of all the world’s wild plant species and protect them so, if something gets wiped out, it can be brought back to earth.

The bank (housed in West Sussex) currently has about 40,000 species – about 15 per cent of the world’s flora – with a collection of 2.4 billion seeds.

The idea of a world where plant species are disappearing is hard to imagine when visiting Kew Gardens, in southwest London, where it seems nature is in full bloom.

The 120-hectare botanic site is more than a peaceful green lung in the large polluted city. For more than 250 years it has been the heart of research and conservation work into the world’s flora.

It’s a lush green expanse where an oak-lined boulevard can quickly turn into a meadow of bluebells or a Mediterranean-style garden. If you follow the flight of the birds through the woods you might appear at a lake or a Chinese pagoda.

Set amongst the well maintained but naturally wild park are the beautiful buildings with special collections.

When you visit Kew Gardens, the verdant landscapes may be the first thing you notice, followed by the historic buildings. But the longer you spend here, delving into the collections of plants, the more you’ll get a sense of how important the research here is.

The story of Kew Gardens

I’ve written previously about the Padua Botanic Garden in Italy, considered to be the world’s oldest botanic garden. Kew Gardens didn’t come along until more than two centuries later, but it quickly became one of the most important in the world.

Although there had long been gardens and parks in the area because of the royal and other stately residences around Richmond, Kew Gardens itself is considered to have been founded in 1759, when Princess Augusta set up a small garden specifically to showcase botanical specimens.

About 40 years later, Augusta’s son, King George III, united the Richmond and Kew estates, which led to the expansion of Kew Gardens, which is now about 130 hectares in size.

Throughout its history, Kew Gardens has played a significant role in the study of plant diversity. Some of the most important additions to the collection came during the colonial era, as British explorers reached distant destinations around the globe.

• Some of the earliest seeds to be sent back to Kew Gardens were in 1768 from botanist Joseph Banks, who accompanied Captain James Cook to the South Pacific. (Banks would later become the first unofficial director of Kew Gardens on his return.)
• In 1772, Francis Masson had the title of ‘plant collector’ and went to South Africa to return with thousands of specimens.
• Gardeners from Kew accompanied the HMS Bounty to Tahiti in 1788 and collected a thousand breadfruit plants.
• And in 1841, Joseph Hooker brought plants from the Falkland Islands in specially-glazed cases to keep them alive on long voyages.

Although plant species are always being added to the garden’s collection, it’s not quite as adventurous these days, which is why those early expeditions seem so epic.

In 1840, Kew Gardens were opened to the public, marking a huge moment when the site transitioned from being a royal project to a national icon.

It was in the decades after this big change that some of the most important buildings were constructed on the site – the Palm House in 1848, the Herbarium in 1853, the Temperate House in 1863.

These buildings were incredibly significant because not only were they considered architectural marvels at the time, but they created innovative spaces to cultivate the plants that were coming from such different climates around the world. They had a huge influence on the architecture of other international botanical gardens.

You probably won’t be surprised to hear that, as one of the leading botanical institutions in the world, Kew Gardens has been at the forefront of scientific research into plants over the years.

• The scientists here have played a vital role in identifying and classifying plants, which is essential for understanding diversity.
• Kew Gardens is a global leader in the conservation of plant and fungal species.
• The researchers use cutting-edge techniques to study how plants are evolving and adapting to changes in the environment.
• Scientists at Kew are even working to develop new crops that will be more resilient to climate change and other threats like pests.

Kew Gardens was added to the World Heritage list in 2003. This is partly for its landscape and architectural features, but particularly for the scientific work that is on display in the garden – and for all the other important discoveries it represents.

The work has never stopped at Kew Gardens and continues today. It has an extensive collection of more than 30,000 plant species and a huge amount of work is going into studying issues around climate change.

Obviously, the Millennium Seed Bank that I discussed at the start is a big part of that, but there are also lots of educational programs and new infrastructure being added all the time. When you visit Kew Gardens, these are some of the things that you’ll be able to learn about.

Things to do at Kew Gardens

The site is huge and there isn’t an obvious path that you would follow to go to each of the main attractions at Kew Gardens. In fact, even with a whole day, you may not have time to go to all of them (at least, at a leisurely and enjoyable pace).

So, to help you plan your visit, these are the top things to do at Kew Gardens that I would recommend you choose from.

Palm House

One of the top sights at Kew Gardens, it’s definitely worth visiting Palm House (which is conveniently very close to the Victoria Gate entrance).

Palm House replicates the conditions of a tropical rainforest and is home to thousands of palms collected from all around the world. Different sections have plants from Australia, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

The building itself is considered to be the most important surviving iron and glass structure from the Victorian period. Completed in 1848, it’s a testament to 19th-century engineering and botanic ambition.

Temperate House

Similar, but different, Temperate House is the largest Victorian greenhouse in the world and replicates a temperate environment (remember, Palm House replicates a tropical environment).

Temperate House has thousands of species inside from all across the world. Some of them are on the endangered list and are being grown so they can be introduced back into their native lands.

The intricate ironwork and glass panels are a marvel in themselves and the whole building recently underwent a large restoration so it can continue to house its collection of towering palm trees, ferns, and cycads.

The Hive

From the heritage to the contemporary – The Hive is a modern sculptural biodome that is considered to be a sustainable masterpiece.

You can walk into the 17-metre-high aluminium structure, where LED lights and audio effects are used for a presentation about the importance of bees.

The sounds and lights respond in real time to the activity of a nearby beehive, creating an immersive experience that highlights the crucial role of pollinators in our ecosystem.

Princess of Wales Conservatory

The Princess of Wales Conservatory is another of the Kew Gardens sights that is temperature-controlled. This time, though, there are ten different climatic conditions in the various sections, each separated by glass doors.

You can walk from the cacti of the desert to the rainforest and mangrove swamps. With carnivorous plants, orchids, and seemingly everything in between, it’s an impressive building.

The Princess of Wales Conservatory was named after the founder of the gardens, Princess Augusta, but opened in 1987 by Princess Diana.

Davies Alpine House

While many of the older glasshouses at Kew Gardens focus on hot or tropical climates (perhaps because that’s where many of the British colonies and expeditions were), Davies Alpine House is the opposite.

This greenhouse is designed to replicate a cool and windy mountain environment and protects species from those areas, like edelweiss, gentians, and primulas.

The building opened in 2006 and was designed using modern technology so it wouldn’t use much energy to create the right conditions for the plants inside.

Waterlily House

Waterlily House is one of the smallest buildings in the gardens but contains one of the most beautiful plants – the Victoria cruziana which is native to the Paraguay basin and is very similar to the giant waterlily.

The pond it is in is coloured by a black dye which keeps down the amount of algae but also produces a stunning reflective mirror.

This is one of my favourite places in Kew Gardens, with the warm atmosphere and the gentle sounds of the water creating a bit of an oasis within the site.

Treetop Walkway

For something a bit different, you can head up to the Treetop Walkway, which is a path that’s elevated about 18 metres above the ground. Winding through the canopy of the trees, it lets you examine the leaves and branches of trees that you may not be able to see from the ground.

The walkway is built from sustainable materials and is designed to blend in with the landscape. As well as getting you close to the tops of the trees, you’ll get some beautiful views across other parts of the gardens.

The Treetop Walkway is 200 metres long and has educational displays along the way, explaining some of the things that you’re able to see from up here.

Kew Palace

I know we’ve been talking about plants a lot, but there are some parts of Kew Gardens that are just about the manmade heritage – Kew Palace is the best of them.

Built in 1631, this is the smallest of Britain’s royal palaces and was once a retreat for King George III when he was ill.

You can go inside and walk through most of the rooms. It’s a modest building and perhaps not what you would expect from a palace. But it’s interesting to see how the royal family once lived with their gold eggcups and decorated dressing rooms.

Marianne North Gallery

And, although there are still lots more things to see in Kew Gardens, I want to just mention one more – a gallery that displays an incredible collection of botanical art created by Marianne North, who worked as an artist from 1855 until her death in 1890.

What is so amazing about North is that she travelled the world to make these paintings, 833 of which are in the gallery. The vivid depictions of plants and landscapes is not just about the art – it’s also about the era of global exploration that she was a part of.

Visiting Kew Gardens

So, with such a large site and so many things to do, I would recommend you have at least a bit of a plan when you visit Kew Gardens, or you might miss some of the key things or find yourself getting too hungry or tired.

Firstly, there are lots of options to get to Kew Gardens and it’s easy to reach with public transport.

Something to keep in mind, though – there are four gates that you can use, so you might like to enter through one and exit through another so you don’t double back (you’ll already be doing a lot of walking).

The closest gate to the tube is Victoria Gate, which is 500 metres from Kew Gardens Station, and is the most popular entrance. But if you don’t mind a walk, have a look at the option of arriving/leaving from Lion Gate (1km from Richmond tube station) and then arriving/leaving from Elizabeth Gate (800 from Kew Bridge train station) to avoid any backtracking.

Another really interesting option to get to Kew Gardens from London is to take a boat!

There are a couple of services each day run by Thames River Boats, that take about 90 minutes in each direction. That’s obviously longer than by tube and it costs a bit more, but it’s a beautiful ride, which is why you would do it.

To book in advance (which I recommend), you can get a return or one-way cruise from Westminster to Kew here, or you can book the one-way or return cruise from Kew to Westminster here.

The tickets for Kew Gardens are actually quite expensive – but remember that this is a very important London attraction, and one of the UK’s World Heritage Sites. Don’t let the price put you off.

You can save a little bit by booking in advance, so I definitely recommend doing that if you know which day you’re planning to visit Kew Gardens. You can buy your ticket here.

You’ll also get free entry to Kew Gardens if you are using the London Pass. There are a few different options for the London Pass, so have a look here to see if you’ll save money with one of them.

A few other bits of visitor information that may be useful:

• Pets are not permitted in Kew Gardens, although registered assistance dogs are allowed.
• The gardens are largely flat, with tarmac paths in most places, which are suitable for wheelchairs or prams.
• Bicycles, skateboards, etc must be left at the gates.
• Ball games, sports, and even jogging are not allowed in the park.
• There are plenty of toilets near the main sights in Kew Gardens, but keep in mind they aren’t as frequent in the north or west of the site.

Once you’re at Kew Gardens, there are so many different ways to explore and things to see, I’m not going to suggest any particular route.

But for the shortest visit, I would suggest including the Princess of Wales Conservatory to Palm House to Temperate House.

To make it a bit longer, add the Hive and Kew Palace at one end, and the Treetop Walkway at the other.

And if you really want to see it all, you can do a loop around the park to also include the Great Pagoda and the Woodland Walk.

For more information, see the official website of Kew Gardens.

Because you’re likely to spend at least a few hours here, you’ll probably need to eat and drink at some point.

You are allowed to have a picnic at Kew Gardens so that’s definitely an option. As well as being a way to enjoy the landscape, it will save you a bit of money. Some popular spots for picnics are the Rose Garden, the Arboretum, and the Cedar Vista.

There is also a wide variety of cafes and restaurants at Kew Gardens – many of which actually use ingredients from the gardens itself!

The best spot for a nice but informal lunch is the Orangery, which also does coffee and cakes. The Botanical Brasserie is a more formal option if you’re looking for modern British cuisine.

There’s also the Pavilion Bar and Grill which has things like burgers and beers. While the Family Kitchen is aimed at groups with children and serves things like pizza and ice cream.