Richmond and Kew

Royal Botanic Gardens Kew

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 2006.  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 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.

Left: The Palm House - photo by Stephen Worsfold

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, as well as the Temperate House, which holds citrus fruits and the world’s largest indoor plant. All were built because of the enthusiasm for gardening of Queen Charlotte.

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 will be open to the public in 2006 for 2 periods - 10 - 23 April and 27 May to 24 September.

Left: The Pagoda - Royal Botanic Gardens Kew - Photo courtesy Stephen Worsfold

The Gardens are open from 9.30am to 6.30pm in the summer and from 9.30am to 4.15pm in the winter (29 October to 2 February.)  Admission prices £11.75 Adults and £8.75 for Senior Citizens.  Do not miss a visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. You can contact the Gardens on 0208 940 1171.

JB

You can visit the web-site www.kew.org/visitor/.

 Nearest Tube station: Kew Gardens (District Line).  Parking difficult.

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