Visiting 250-year-old Kew Gardens in London

Kew Gardens is a 121-hectare botanical garden in southwest London. It was founded in the 16th century, and its live collection reaches 30 000 plants. The gardens have about 1 million visitors per year. It is a place not only for recreation but also scientific research. Currently, there are 800 people working for Kew.

Kew seed collection in the Millennium Seed Bank is the most extensive plant genetic resource in the world. There are more than 80 000 seed collections in the bank, covering over 37 600 species.

Palm House is the architectural jewel of Kew Gardens. The building was constructed in 1844 by Richard Turner. Victorian rainforest glasshouse contains plants that are endangered in the wild or even extinct. It was the first glasshouse of this scale in London, and no one quite knew how to build it, so architects simply borrowed techniques from the shipbuilding industry.

Kew Gardens open every day from 10 am to 4.15 pm. The entrance costs £11.50 on a weekday and £18.00 on the weekend. The site has lots of attractions including Treetop Walkway, The Hive, Princess of Wales Conservatory, Great Pagoda, Kew Palace and Royal Kitchens, and many more.

In one day I managed to see no more than five places. You can see the full list here. If you don’t plan to walk there is a Kew Explorer land train available for £5 per person.

I would highly recommend planning your route before visiting the botanical garden. Keep in mind that daily guided walking tours are available for all visitors. They cover recent updates in the garden and history of Kew. Overall it's a great place to visit if you are ready to go the distance.