Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens is a spectacular 300 acre Royal Botanical Garden

The stunning Kew Gardens are a little ways out from Central London but are more than worth the trip and you can still reach them on the tube.

The gardens grew from an exotic garden in Kew Park started by Lord Capel John. The were later expanded by Augusta Dowager, Princess of Wales, who had a number of garden structures built. Of these a Chinese Pagoda built in 1761 is still there today. Over the years the gardens and their collection continued to grow under the direction of different individuals. In 1840 the gardens became a National Botanical Garden.

The Kew Gardens offer so much to explore and one can easily spend a full day or more here. Some of the top attractions include:

• The Palm House: A curvaceous glasshouse first completed in 1848 in which palm trees and tropical plants from around the world thrive in a warm moist environment.


• The Temperate House: The world's largest remaining glasshouse from the Victorian era with an area of 53,000 square feet and reaching a height of 63 feet. The Temperate House preserves a large collection of sub-tropical and temperate region plants from around the world including endagered varieties which are being propagated to help reestablish them in their original locations.


• The Princess of Wales Conservatory: A newer conservatory that has 10 different climate zones all managed by computer.


• The Great Pagoda: The oldest structure still in the Gardens, the Great Pagoda, built in 1761 has 10 floors, stands 163 feet high and is 49 feet in diameter at the base.


• The Shizotron and Zstata Treetop Walkway: This new attraction takes you both below ground to the root zone of the trees as well as along a 660 foot long walkway 60 feet above the Arboretum that stretches between the Temperate House and the Lake

All of the above are set in a beautiful park setting. These are just a few of the many things to see and discover in these beautiful gardens which are now recognized as a World Heritage Site. If you love plants and gardens, visiting the Kew Gardens is a must during your London Vacation.

The Kew Gardens are open daily from 9:30am to 4:15pm except December 24th and 25th. Admission charges do apply, however admission is free with the London Pass. The Kew Palace is only open to the public during Spring and Summer from April 2 to September 25th.

For more information about the Kew Gardens and their admission charges visit their official website: Kew Gardens