Kew Gardens
UNESCO-listed Royal Botanic Gardens — 50,000 plants, Victorian glasshouses and a treetop walkway.
About
Why visit Kew Gardens
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world's most diverse collection of living plants — more than 50,000 species across 132 hectares of Georgian landscape on the Thames. Founded in 1759 as the private garden of Kew Palace, Kew today drives global plant science and conservation while enchanting visitors with palm-filled Victorian glasshouses, a treetop walkway 18 metres above the canopy, and seasonal gardens that peak from cherry blossom in April to autumn colour in October.
- Kew holds the world's largest scientific collection of plants — over 8.5 million preserved specimens.
- The Palm House was built in 1848 using techniques borrowed from Victorian shipbuilding.
- Kew's Millennium Seed Bank stores seeds from more than 40,000 plant species as insurance against extinction.
Not to miss
Highlights
The moments that define a visit to Kew Gardens.
Palm House
The world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure, packed with tropical rainforest.
Temperate House
The largest Victorian glasshouse on earth — 10,000 plants from every temperate region.
Treetop Walkway
A 200 m walk 18 m above the canopy of oaks, chestnuts and limes.
Princess of Wales Conservatory
Ten climate zones under one roof, from desert cacti to orchids and carnivorous plants.
The Great Broad Walk Borders
The longest double herbaceous border in the world — 320 m of colour in summer.
Rose Garden
170 varieties in a formal parterre behind the Palm House — peak bloom in June.
Japanese Landscape
The Chokushi-Mon 'Gateway of the Imperial Messenger' surrounded by a garden of peace, activity and harmony.
Right for you?
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Local know-how
Visitor tips
Small things that turn a good visit into a great one.
Best April–October — cherry blossom in April, roses in June, autumn colour in October.
Allow 3–5 hours; families with children can easily stay a full day.
Bring a picnic — there are lawns everywhere and cafés inside can be busy.
Cheaper online than at the gate; children under 4 free.
Photography is superb from the Treetop Walkway and inside the Palm House on cool mornings when the glass mists.
See it with a guide
Tours & experiences
Curated picks across guided walks, skip-the-line entry and after-hours access.