About Kew Gardens
What's Inside The Kew Gardens
Witness the cool, dry and windy climatic conditions where high-altitude alpine plants flourish at the Davies Alpine House of Kew Gardens London. The 21st-century glasshouse combines traditional practices with modern technology and allows plants to thrive without using wind pumps and energy-intensive air conditioning. The two back-to-back arches of the structure create a stack effect to draw warm air out of the glasshouse, while air is cooled in an underground labyrinth. When flowers nurtured in Kew’s Alpine Nursery bloom to their full glory, they are brought out for display at the Davies Alpine House. From dianthus, campanulas, and lavenders to tulips, verbascums and herbs like thyme, witness uniquely attractive species at this Kew Gardens attraction.
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The Natural Area of Kew Gardens London is a 37-acre classic woodland region on the borders of Kew and the river Thames. Donated by Queen Victoria on the sole condition that the region retains its wild, untamed state, the Natural Area is the ultimate space for forest adventures or serene nature walks. Explore wild adventures like a picnic in the woods, and a hotel of bugs as you spot endangered beetles and walk through a log trail at the Woodland Walk. Designed as a raised trail, the Woodland Walk is a popular Kew attraction that takes you through the Natural Area without disturbing the habitat. The ecosystem includes more than 185 trees, plants like lilies, snowdrops, primroses and narcissi, and numerous butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies.
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Among the most tranquil attractions of Kew Gardens London is the Japanese Landscape, a beautifully manicured garden that complements the Japanese Gateway. The gateway is an old architectural marvel and one of Kew’s hidden masterpieces. Designed to recreate Japanese traditions, the Japanese Landscape combines a Garden of Peace, a Garden of Activity, and a Garden of Harmony. While the Garden of Peace mimics a traditional Japanese tea garden, the Garden of Activity’s slope symbolises elements and movements of nature. The Garden of Harmony joins the two in a harmonious combination and represents Japan’s mountainous regions with stones and rock outcrops interplanted with shrubs. Some of the popular plant species here are the Rhododendron “Mother’s Day” and the Japanese anemone.
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One of the most popular attractions of Kew Gardens London, the Rock Garden, also holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and largest gardens in the world. The naturalistic displays of the garden bring to life the ecosystems one can spot in the wild, and promise to transport visitors to scenic mountains. Find floral species brought in from mountainous regions across the world, like those of Europe, North America, Patagonia, Asia, South Africa, Oceania, and the Mediterranean. One of the largest areas dedicated to horticulture, more than 70 per cent of plants here are grown from wild-collected seeds, making the Garden an important resource for scientific research.
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Some Famous Plants at Kew Garden
Among the popular Kew Gardens plants is the Common Snowdrop, which is also among the world’s most popularly cultivated bulbous plants. Commonly grown for ornamental purposes in parks and gardens, the plant is used in the pharmaceutical industry to manage Alzheimer’s and traumatic nerve injuries, and is an effective insecticide too. A native of Europe, the plant can be naturally found in woodlands, grasslands and shrublands under the shade of deciduous trees. Among the first blooming flowers of spring, the best time to witness the Common Snowdrop is from January to March. The flowers can be found in Rock Garden, Natural Area, and around the Temple of Aeolus in Kew Gardens.
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One of the most renowned Kew Gardens plants is the Pomegranate, hailed as a superfruit in modern times and one of the oldest known fruits of humankind. The crown jewel of the fruit world has a variety of uses in the health and skin care sectors. From being used as a remedy for digestive and skin disorders to speculations that it might help prevent heart disease, diabetes and cancer, pomegranates are also used for their antioxidants and fragrance in skincare products. The fruit is a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals, and can be found in certain parts of Asia, Africa and Europe. The plant can be found in the Temperate House of Kew Gardens.
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One of the most useful Kew Gardens plants, Turmeric can be traced back to thousands of years ago. The bright yellow spice and dye is a domesticated plant widely grown in the tropics, with India being the world’s largest producer, consumer, and exporter of it. From being used to improve skin tone in the beauty industry to being an important Indian spice and yellow food dye in Europe and USA, turmeric has multiple functions. It is considered auspicious in Hindu traditions and has several health benefits. Used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine, turmeric has anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory qualities. It can be found in the Palm House of the Kew Gardens.
Zones In Kew Gardens
The windy labyrinthic glasshouse, that is the Princess of Wales Conservatory is one of the most astounding places to visit in Kew Gardens London. The glasshouse houses diverse ecosystems from across the world in its ten computer-controlled climate zones. As you walk down tropics to wetlands and deserts, discover predatory plants like the Venus flytrap and Pitcher plant in the carnivorous section and witness cacti and succulents of the dry tropics. Orchids and bromeliads await you in the steamy tropics, while the giant Victoria amazonica hides away in the wet tropical zone. The iconic glasshouse is also where a time capsule containing seeds of food crops and endangered species has been buried.
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Walk, explore and discover more than 14,000 trees belonging to over 2,000 species at the Arboretum. Literally meaning “a place with trees”, the leafy enclave sprawls over two-thirds of Kew Gardens London. The treasure trove of scientific knowledge has trees that are as old as the Kew Gardens, while many trees cannot be found anywhere else in Britain. Spot heritage trees, giant redwoods, and mighty oaks, and witness the world-renowned nursery of Kew Gardens in this zone. The Arboretum plays an important role in Kew’s plant conservation and protection efforts and saves plant species from extinction and habitats from destruction due to deforestation.
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One of the most popular attractions of Kew Gardens London, the Rock Garden, also holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and largest gardens in the world. The naturalistic displays of the garden bring to life the ecosystems one can spot in the wild, and promise to transport visitors to scenic mountains. Find floral species brought in from mountainous regions across the world, like those of Europe, North America, Patagonia, Asia, South Africa, Oceania, and the Mediterranean. One of the largest areas dedicated to horticulture, more than 70 per cent of plants here are grown from wild-collected seeds, making the Garden an important resource for scientific research.
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Kew Gardens FAQs
Where is the Kew Gardens located?
The Kew Gardens is located at Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE. The garden has four gates namely, Victoria Gate, Lion Gate, Elizabeth Gate, and Brentford Gate. Visitors can reach here by bike, bus, train, tube, car and boat.
What is the best time to visit Kew Gardens?
The best time to visit Kew Gardens London is in the early morning hours. You would encounter fewer crowds and will get ample time to explore all the attractions on the premises. You would also get to experience the plants during their best hours in the daylight.
Do we have to book in advance for Kew Gardens Tickets?
Kew Gardens London tickets can always be purchased at the walk-in ticket counters. However, it is highly recommended that you book your tickets in advance online. You will get the best value tickets online, and will also be able to book time slots as per your preference in advance.
What is the minimum age required to book Kew Gardens Tickets?
Visitors of all age groups are welcome at Kew Gardens London. All those aged under sixteen need to be accompanied by adults at all times when inside the garden. Kew Gardens tickets are free of cost for children below the age of four. Those aged 16 to 24 get tickets at lower rates as compared to older adults.
Can we pluck flowers in Kew Gardens?
Plucking flowers or causing any damage to any of the plants of Kew Gardens London is strictly prohibited. Such activities are upsetting for the Gardens team that wholeheartedly cares for the vast collections. It is advised that visitors do not climb, pick, or prune any plants and avoid walking over planted areas. It is also requested that visitors do not engage in activities that might harm the plant and animal residents of the garden and throw all rubbish in the designated bins.
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