Consolidating the gardens

With their 'official' recognition and the appointment of Sir William Hooker, the first Director, the Gardens were revitalised.

Over a period of several years Hooker expanded his domain, taking parcels of land from Aiton's Pleasure Grounds and transferring them to the Botanic Gardens.

From 1843 onwards, a high rabbit-proof wire fence stretched from the Unicorn Gate to the private grounds of the Dutch House, its purpose being to separate the Pleasure Grounds from the Botanic Gardens. Though W T Aiton retired in 1845, and the Pleasure Grounds passed into Hooker's control, the fence remained in place until 1895.

Hooker landscaped his expanding Botanic Gardens as a single entity, taking out internal walls, thinning shrubbery, extending lawns and creating new walks. Piece by piece, the extent of the modern gardens emerged during this period.

The King of Hanover (Duke of Cumberland) had also retained various sections of the Pleasure Grounds, but in 1848 he ceded them in their entirety to Kew.

The Royal Kitchen Garden transferred to Hooker in 1846, and only the private grounds of the Dutch House, Queen's Charlotte’s Cottage, and the area between Brentford Ferry and the former Dutch House Lawn remained outside his control.

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