Let me start by saying Kew is no ordinary garden, its official name is ‘The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew’, and its UNESCO World Heritage status is an indication to their importance. Since their creation in 1759, the gardens have made a significant contribution to the study of plant diversity and vital research continues to present day. Impressively, Kew is the world’s largest collection of living plants.
I’m not going to tell you about all the different varieties of plants at Kew, or give a run down of all their scientific names because there are thousands, and anyway, I’m not a botanist. If you want to know more about the intricate life of plants that can be found here, visit their website www.kew.org. Alternatively, the Godfather of the natural world, Sir David Attenborough, made his series, Kingdom of Plants, at Kew gardens which you can easily find on Youtube.
Even though I may not have managed to memorise every tree or plant I clapped eyes on, I did take away a few cool facts from my trip to Kew:
- Tequila is made from Blue Agave, a plant found only in Mexico.
- The Coco der Mer which grows from palms is also known as the Love Nut and resembles a female’s bottom! For this reason it has its own Wikipedia page called Legends of the Coco der Mer.
Explore Kew's main attractions
If you think the Love Nut must steal the show, you’d be wrong. There are several key attractions at Kew, and many smaller ones that can be found when strolling around all 326 acres of the various gardens.
Kew Palace
Despite its name, Kew Palace is a modest size but with many distinguishing features. In its heyday the Palace was popularly known as the Dutch House because of its Dutch cables, these are the curves on the side and top of the house, typically found in Northern European architecture of the 16th and 17th Century.
The Palace used to be home to King George III but is now open to the public. At the back of the house is a picturesque maze garden, and nearby is a stream with plenty of ducks and geese. I spent far too long taking photos of them, but I couldn’t help it, just look how photogenic they are, or this one at least.
Explore the Glasshouses in Kew
There are several glasshouses in Kew, including the Temperate House, the Palm House, the Princess of Wales Conservatory and the Waterlily House, all offering different plant species pertaining to the natural world.
The Temperate House
Filled with 10,000 individual plants, the Temperate House is the largest and arguably most impressive glass house in Kew Gardens.
The Palm House
Entering the Palm House feels like walking into a tropical rainforest. Many plants in this collection are endangered in the wild.
The Princess of Wales Conservatory
Next is the Princess of Wales Conservatory which has ten different climatic zones, housing a large variety of plants, including cacti, orchids, and my favourite, carnivorous plants. The latter always makes me feel nostalgic when I think back to my childhood obsession with Venus Flytraps. The idea of a plant being able to eat a fly used to amaze me, and well, it still does!
The Waterlily House
There’s also the Waterlily House, which is the smallest yet hottest and most humid of Kew’s glasshouses.
The Treetop Walkway
The Pagoda and Japanese Gardens
Where to stay in Kew
There are lots of accommodation options nearby Kew Gardens to cater for a wide range of tastes and budgets.
Budget: If you’re looking for something quaint, cosy and affordable, I recommend Chiswick Riviera. Located only a short walk from the gates of Kew Garden on the banks of the Thames, this lovely B & B is ideally situated for sightseeing. The property is full of charm, everywhere you turn there are personal touches from the library to the owner’s friendly cat!
Mid-range: If you’re looking for something cool and memorable, Coach & Horses might just be what you’re looking for to enhance your trip to Kew and the surrounding sights. Situated inside a beautifully resorted 17th-century inn, while providing a host a modern comforts, the reservation has ensured to keep many of the original characteristics to make it feel special, stylish and memorable. You won’t have to go far to find good grub either – the Inn also operates as a well-loved pub complete with a beer garden.
10 Responses
With all my trips to London I still haven’t been to Kew Gardens. Your photos are stunning Shing and certainly tempt me to finally visit…on s sunny day of course!
Kew is definitely worth your time when you’re next over Jenny! But of course it needs to be sunny, you want to be able to see all those pretty flowers in full bloom!
Haven’t been to Kew Gardens. Looks like it worth a visit. Thanks for the intro.
Great modeling, by the way. Lovely dress!
It ain’t a UNESCO Site for nuffin’! 😉 Get yo ass over here!
I haven’t been to Kew Gardens but they look lovely and well worth a visit! I was just in Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania and the tulips blew me away! Keukenoff is still King, though.
Hi Heather, Keukenhof most definitely is king, I’d love to visit! I had not heard of Longwood until reading your comment, and I’ve just seen the pictures on your blog – they’re stunning! I really love Philadelphia and have always dreamed about going again so it’s great to know it’s only 30 miles away!
Beautiful pictures! Looks like a pretty awesome place. I’d love to try the walkway in the trees. It looks cool!
Hi Ivan! The Treetop Walkway is a great addition to the park, and it’s a fun way to see the gardens. Hope you make here sometime 🙂
You look so cute in that flower garden (first photo)!
Love your photographs! I’ve been there once and was as captivated by it as you were!