The Herbarium expanded, new glasshouses built

Greater public access to the Gardens was accompanied by significant expansion of the scientific collections. As the Herbarium gained in size and importance, fears began to expressed about its fireproofing. Hanover House had been partially demolished as its proximity to the Herbarium was to present a fire risk, but in 1903 this issue was resolved by a series of actions. The collections were transferred to a wing; the original 1877 wing was gutted, fireproof floors were installed and the galleries widened by 18ins (46cm).

The ongoing question of the relationship between the herbaria at Kew and the British Museum was finally resolved in 1901. After 14 sittings, 18 witnesses and the examination of many documents, the Committee recommended that the two herbaria should be united at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Furthermore, Kew's Director should become the official advisor to the Government on all matters regarding botany. Central to the debate was Thiselton-Dyer's argument that Kew was a place of research as compared with the British Museum, which was simply a repository; and that the Gardens played central role in the economies of the empire.

Under Thiselton-Dyer, the expanding living collections also had the problems of restricted space alleviated with the construction of the first Alpine House in 1887 and its further enlargement in 1891. The Temperate House was also finally completed in 1899.

The Succulent House, erected in 1855, was replaced in 1905 with a building of lighter construction, as was the Temperate Fern House. Thiselton-Dyer also removed the last of the green glass from the glasshouses, replacing it with the clear glass we know today.

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