The magnificent Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are devoted to botanic and horticultural research.  The gardens house the largest living plant collection in the World and are a delight, both to the casual admirer of gardens and to the specialist botanist.  On top of all this the buildings within the grounds of the Kew Gardens such as Kew Palace, the Palm House, and the Temperate House are architectural gems in their own right.

Kew Palace was built in 1631 for a merchant, before it became a royal home from 1728 until 1818.  King George III, Queen Charlotte and their large family lived there for much of his long reign and it was Queen Charlotte (who loved gardening ) who was responsible for the layout  of the gardens which you see today.

Kew Palace was the subject of a mamouth and meticulous restoration and was re-opened to the public on 27 April 2006.  Three floors are opened to the public every week between Tuesday to Sunday until 30 September 2008.  You will be able to admire the Princesses' Dolls House and many other intimate family objects.The famous Palm House was built to the designs of Decimus Burton, using the (then) latest construction materials of cast iron and glass.  It is based upon the successful design for the huge pavilions which housed the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park in 1851, and remains a tribute to the inventiveness and innovation of the Victorian age. You can climb up in to walkways for a different view of the giant palms and bamboo.

Queen Charlotte's cottage can also be seen. Designed by Capability Brown it was used as a summer retreat by George III and his family. The stunning Princess of Wales Conservatory with its many orchids and waterlilies lies nearby.  You can take a trip through ten climatic zones here to see ferns, orchids, carnivorousplants and the notorious titan arum.

The Temperate House  is Kew's biggest public glasshouse and holds citrus fruits, flowers and plants from all over the world, and the world’s largest indoor plant, the Chilean wine palm which reaches a height of 16 metres - indoors! Again, you can now also climb up on to the high walkways inside this giant building for a different overview.One other famous building is in Kew Gardens.  It is The Pagoda, which was designed by the famous architect William Chambers.  It was completed in 1762 and was the most accurate reconstruction of a Chinese building of its time in the whole of Europe.  It is 50 metres tall and was briefly opened to the public in 2006.

The newest attraction at Kew is the Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway where you can climb 18 metres high up into the tree canopy for a unique birds-eye view of the gardens at Kew.
The easiest way to see the whole extent of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew is via the Kew Explorer - a series of coaches with seats drawn by a Kew vehicle with a well informed driver who does a commentary on your journey round.  You can get off at several stops and re-board later.
Several nice coffee shops and restaurants are also in Kew Gardens selling a variety of fresh organic food at reasonable prices. Children can enjoy the unique "Climbers and Creepers" interactive indoor play area where they can wriggle through tunnels like field mice or slide down the Giant Pitcher plant. They will love the Marine Display in the basement of the Palm House .Do not miss a visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew! You can contact the Gardens on 0208 940 1171. You can visit the web-site www.kew.org/visitor/.

The Royal Botanical Gardens Kew are open from 9.30am to 7.00pm in the summer and from 9.30am to 4.15pm in the winter (29 October to 2 February.)  Admission prices £13 Adults and £12 for Senior Citizens.  Family tickets also available.
Nearest Tube station: Kew Gardens (District Line)., then a 5 minute walk. Parking difficult.