Pictures of Kew

About Kew

Kew is just downstream from the delights of Richmond, and is best known for the Royal Botanic Gardens, or as they are more popularly known 'Kew Gardens'. The gardens are set in a site of some 300 landscaped acres, with some spectacular buildings. 17th-century Kew Palace is perhaps the most modest but charming of all Royal residences and Kew village is charming too. But it is the great beauty of the Gardens that causes thousands of visitors to flock here year after year. They come from every corner of the earth to see and admire the beauty and strangeness within Kew for it's plantation and earthen beds form part of London legend.

The first nine acres of gardens were laid out by Princess Augusta, some 220 years ago, and they began to flourish during the reign of her son, George III. The 19th-century botanist, Sir Joseph Banks, worked closely with the head gardener William Aiton to lay the basis for the wonderful collection that now exists. Royal patronage continued, even after the gardens came into public ownership in 1841. Conserved for all to see, within the gardens, is a gift from Queen Victoria - the Queens Cottage and Grounds.

Within the heady delights to be explored; the largest living collection in the garden is the Arboretum, where species of trees and shrubs live harmoniously. The Tropical and Palm Houses do indeed house rare and wonderful species from all over the globe. Great clusters of Alpines grow amongst sandstone outcrops and by the side the stream of the Rock garden. There is a pretty woodland garden which provides a quiet retreat but it is the magnificent flower boarders of the herbaceous area that does nothing less than provide the visitor with constant delight.

This is a magical place and never looks more-so than in the wintertime when all is lit with fairy lights, it is then that gardens and buildings alike, take on a dream-like quality. In the summertime, the air is heady with the perfume of grasses and flowers and this too, is sheer enchantment. If you did'nt know, who could imagine such a wonderous place existed within a stone's throw from London. Kew is intoxicating, go once and you are sure to want to go again!