Kew Gardens

Popular as one of the unique UNESCO World Heritage sites in London, Kew Gardens is one of the pleasant getaways in the city to enjoy with your family and friends. Explore this captivating destination as part of our curated Europe tour, home to a fascinating collection of living plants and an internationally recognized scientific research center. With over 14,000 trees, Kew Gardens' exquisite natural landscape spanning 300 acres is truly spellbinding, making it a leading center of research, complete with a library, museums, and beautiful gardens.

It invites people of all ages to discover a day of serenity in the city of London. The visitors here can enjoy a number of activities whether it is taking a stroll along the colourful canopies of trees or exploring the beautiful glasshouses. Some of the popular attractions of Kew Gardens include the Palm House, Princess of Wales Conservatory and the Waterlily House.

There are activities which the visitors can enjoy at Kew Gardens like the 59 ft high Treetop Walkway, catching the views of the city by climbing the Great Pagoda and getting to know about its history at the Kew Palace. Kew Gardens is also a paradise for photographers who wish to capture the natural beauty of London at its best.

• Explore the collections of cacti to carnivorous plants, ornamental grasses to orchids, and roses to rhododendrons in Kew's several magnificent gardens.
• Small ferns and lavenders, thymes and tulips, as well as some lesser-known species like the uncommon Chilean Blue Crocus, can be found in the ultra-modern Davies Alpine House.
• Walk on the elevated walkway to get a bird's eye view of the trees and explore the Palm House, which has over 16,000 panes of glass with numerous unique species of plants like the double coconut palm.
• Discover the Princess of Wales Conservatory, which was established by Princess Diana in 1987 and contains 1,500 types of tropical orchids and water lilies, including massive Asian varieties.
• Visit the Waterlily House, which is the hottest and possibly the most humid house in Kew, and home to some of the world's largest species of water lilies.
• Explore some popular attractions like The Orangery, the Marianne North Gallery of Botanic Art, Museum No. 1, The Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, and the Nash Observatory.

History of Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens has its history tracing back to the 1730s, when the estates that now comprise Kew Gardens were owned by the members of the royal family. In the year 1751, Augusta, widow of Prince Frederick began with creating a botanical garden at this land with the assistance of Lord Bute and architect William Chambers. During the year 1802, King George III united the estates of Richmond and Kew. During this time, Kew Gardens saw the construction of many buildings like Great Pagosa, Ruined Arch etc. King George III took the help of William Aiton and Sir Joseph Banks to enhance the landscape of Kew Gardens.

In the year 1840, the ownership of Kew Gardens was transferred from the Crown to the Government after being neglected for several years and it was adopted as national botanical gardens. This was when Kew Gardens witnessed its expansion under its director William Hooker and its first curator John Smith. Between 1844 and 1863, Kew Gardens got the Palm House designed by architect Decimus Burton and iron-maker Richard Turner. While the Palm House is considered to be "the world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure", the Temperate House is now the largest Victorian glasshouse in existence.

Kew Gardens had to see some of the upsetting events like arson attacks in London in February 1913 and the Great Storm of 1987 when hundreds of trees were uprooted there. During the year 2003, Kew Gardens were officially recognised among the World Heritage Sites.

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Places to Eat in Kew Gardens

1. Pavilion Bar and Grill: This eatery is located at Arboretum which has a collection of more than 14000 trees. This is a comfortable place where you can bask in the exquisite views of Kew Gardens and then have a good meal with your loved ones. It's usually quite and a nice place to grab a bite to eat when you are at Kew Gardens.

2. Victoria Gate Café: This is one of the popular places for a refreshment stop when you are at Kew Gardens and choosing the Victoria Gate as your point of entrance. The café remains open throughout the day and closes only 30 minutes before the gardens close.

3. The Botanical: This is a place where you can enjoy a fine dining experience with your friends and family at Kew Gardens. It offers a wonderful view of the Palm House and a nice stop to grab a meal like a breakfast, lunch or just an afternoon tea.

4. Orangery: This is one of the popular places for eating at Kew Gardens. It is known for its bustling atmosphere and located centrally in the Kew Gardens. It has numerous eating options for everyone and remains open from 10 am to 3:30 pm.

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Places to Stay near Kew Gardens

1. Clayton Hotel Chiswick: Located just a 5-minute drive away from Kew Gardens, Clayton Hotel Chiswick is one of the prominent places in central London. The hotel offers multiple amenities where you can have a comfortable stay. Some of the comforts which you can look forward to during your stay at Clayton include restaurant, bar, balcony terrace, conference room etc.

2. Novotel London Brentford: Located in one of the finest localities of London, Novotel London Breakfast is a wonderful option to stay near Kew Gardens. It has numerous comforts to boast of like there is a restaurant and bar, free WiFi, fitness centre and an indoor pool. The rooms here are well equipped and one can enjoy a memorable stay at Novotel London Brentford.

3. The Coach and Horses: This is an inn which dates back to the 17th century and is located close to Kew Gardens. It has a wonderful location to visit the places in London and is famous for its traditional bar and restaurant, a vast garden and having well-appointed air-conditioned bedrooms for the guests. They also have modern amenities like wireless internet, fireplace, daily housekeeping etc.

4. Kew Gardens Hotel: Located in Richmond, Kew Gardens Hotel is just a 5-minute drive away from Kew Gardens. It is a nice respite for the guests with its 20 rooms which are well furnished with all the modern amenities. Kew Gardens Hotel also delights you with a nice dining experience at its restaurant and bar/lounge.

5. Premier Inn London Kew Bridge Hotel: This is a comfortable residence which is located just across the river from Kew Gardens. It boasts of having a terrace and restaurant and offers multiple rooms where you can enjoy all the modern amenities. Some of the other facilities at Premier Inn London Kew Bridge Hotel include conference room, bar and banquet.

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Travellers' Tip before Visiting Kew Gardens

1. Children under the age of 16 are not permitted to enter Kew Gardens unless they are accompanied by an adult.

2. To enter the Children’s Garden, only adults with children are allowed along with a valid ticket.

3. One should be careful not to put the plants any harm by climbing, picking or pruning them.

4. The visitors should take caution while walking and avoid going over the planted areas. Bicycles, tricycles, roller skates etc aren’t allowed inside the gardens.

5. The visitors should avoid bringing radios, music players and other musical instruments to the gardens.

6. When you are planning a picnic, try to avoid bringing barbeques and picnic furniture and only picnic in the areas covered with grass.

7. One must mind that ball games and sports are prohibited in Kew Gardens.

8. While entering the galleries, food and drinks should not be taken inside.

9. One is not allowed mobility scooters in the galleries and only manual wheelchairs are allowed. It is advised to leave the buggies in the buggy park. Mobility scooters and pushchairs are not allowed in the Treetop Walkway as well.

10. Any commercial activity is not permitted to be undertaken at the Gardens except the events authorised at Kew Gardens.

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One can take the different entrance gates while coming from different parts of London. These different ways to reach Kew Gardens are as follows:

Elizabeth Gate: This is one of the fastest routes from central London and close to Kew Bridge station. It is also near to Children’s Garden, Orangery Restaurant, Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew Palace and Royal Kitchens and The Hive.

Brentford Gate: This one is located near New Kew’s Ferry Lane car park and near to places like White Peaks Café and Climbers and Creepers.

Lion Gate: This gate is the nearest to Richmond Station and near to Japanese Gateway.

Victoria Gate: This gate is closest to Kew Gardens station and located close to places like Palm House, The Botanical and Broad Walk Borders.

By Tube: When coming via tube, Kew Gardens lies in Zone 3 and one can use the District Line and London Overground to reach here. Since there is no level access from the westbound platform, one can take a tube back from Richmond and then use the eastbound platform to gain level access.

By Train: If you are taking training the nearest station is Kew Bridge which is located 800 metres from the gardens. However, there is no level access at Kew Bridge to reach the gardens. One can take the Richmond Station to reach Kew Gardens which also has lift and level access. From Richmond, one can take the 65 bus and reach the Lion or Victoria Gate of Kew Gardens.

By Bus: When coming via bus to Kew Gardens, one can use Route 65, Route 391, Routes 237 and 267. They all stop at different locations near the various gates of Kew Gardens.

By Bike: One can reach Kew Gardens by a bike and lock them at the bicycle racks which are available at the four gates. Taking the bikes inside the garden is not allowed.

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