Christmas at Kew Gardens !
Father Christmas, Vintage Car Rides, and Winter Walks

October 2010

For the perfect winter day out, combine a visit to Father Christmas with a crisp winter walk, and a calm Christmas gift shopping experience at Kew Gardens.

Join a free, guided, ‘Winter Evergreen’ walk with Kew’s expert guides, and discover the Christmas plants that shine throughout winter in Kew’s 300 acre site. The walks are daily, and start from the volunteers desk at noon.

Visit Father Christmas in his festive grotto, and see the Gardens glowing with festive lights. The grotto opens from December 11th, to the 23rd, in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. The queue opens at noon and closes at 3pm.

Once the little ones have visited Father Christmas, take them for a carousel ride on Kew Palace lawn, from December 11th to January 3rd. The rides begin at 10.30am and finish at 3.30pm. Adults £2, children £2, adults accompanying an under five, £1. Still not satisfied? Take them to Climbers and Creepers to have their faces painted ‘seasonally’, from December 11th to January 3rd. £4 a face, or two for £7.

A traditional horse and carriage ride will also be on offer, taking visitors down the historic Broadwalk. If you’re little ones prefer Christmas in the fast lane, we are also offering mini-sized vintage car rides. The rides will run from 10.30am to 3.30pm daily. Adults £3, children £2.

Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme, what do they all have in common? Drop into our secluded garden to find out, at one of our ‘hands on’ sessions. Wednesdays and Sundays, 11.30am to 2.30pm.

A variety of festive products will be available from our fabulous onsite shops, which will be opening late before Christmas on the evenings of the 16th, 17th and 18th December.

Once Christmas is over, feel free to bring along your Christmas tree minus decorations and have it recycled by our very kind arboretum team!

Please note, the glasshouses and Xstrata Treetop Walkway close at 3.45pm, with the gardens closing at 4.15pm.

Images available online at: http://www.kew.org/press/images/winter.html

For more information please contact the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Press Office on 020 8332 5607 or email pr@kew.org

Images are available to download from www.kew.org/press/images . Please contact the press office for the username and password.

Opening hours: 9.30am – 4.15pm (weekdays), 9.30 – 4.15pm (weekends) • Last entry to the Gardens, the glasshouses, galleries and the Xstrata Treetop Walkway is 30 minutes before closing
Admission: Adults £13.50, Concessions £11.50, free for children under 17 (with an adult)
Visitor information: 020 8332 5655 or info@kew.org

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and world-class Herbarium as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world. Kew Gardens is a major international visitor attraction. Its landscaped 132 hectares and RBG Kew's country estate, Wakehurst Place, attract nearly 2 million visitors every year. Kew was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and celebrated its 250th anniversary in 2009. Wakehurst Place is home to Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world. RBG Kew and its partners have collected and conserved seed from 10% of the world's wild flowering plant species (c.30, 000 species) and aim to conserve 25% by 2020.

Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank partnership has already achieved so much, and its enormous potential for future conservation can only be fulfilled with the support of the public and other funders. Kew needs to raise significant funds both in the UK and overseas. Members of the public can support the work of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank partnership by getting involved with the ‘Adopt a Seed, Save a Species' campaign. For £25 an individual can adopt a seed or for £1000 anyone can save an entire species. www.kew.org/adoptaseed

‘Biodiversity Year at Kew’ in 2010 will celebrate the importance of plant diversity in underpinning biodiversity through a programme of themed and seasonal horticultural displays, art exhibitions, educational activities for all the family and scientific announcements. For a full programme of events see www.kew.org/press/2010.html

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is part of the world-wide celebrations of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity, and is one of over 300 UK organisations, charities and groups supporting this global awareness campaign. The diversity of life on earth is crucial for human well-being and now is the time to act to preserve it. For information on events, initiatives and exhibitions across the UK during 2010 visit www.biodiversityislife.net