Kew Diploma in Horticulture - Student life

Find out what it is like to be a student at Kew.

Kew Clog and Apron Race winners

Social life

Every Kew Diploma student will tell you that the course is hard work, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to let off a little steam now and again!
There is an active student social scene at Kew and not all centred around the local pub…

Student barbecue

New students are welcomed every year with a barbeque where they get the chance to meet many members of staff and relax a bit!

Sports activities - clog and apron race

This is a traditional induction for first year students – a race down the Broad Walk in the traditional garb of a gardener – clogs and an apron.

Other sports events include the 'round the gardens race' – a three mile circuit. Various football and cricket matches and a Kew - Wisley relay race. Many of these activities involve other horticultural colleges.

Kew Diploma media articles

Read more about the Kew Diploma in Horticulture in the Kew Magazine article published Winter 2007

Kew Mutual Improvement Society

This is probably the longest running student lecture series organised by students anywhere in the world, formed with the encouragement of Kew's second Director Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker in 1871. Present-day second year students form a committee and arrange a programme of lectures open to the public on Monday nights from September through to April starting at 18:00 hrs. Lectures are preceded by short items of interest.

Current lecture programme