Go behind the scenes with Kew blogs
Keep up to date with what's happening at Kew, including updates from the teams working in the gardens, and our science and conservation teams working in the UK and around the world. Browse the latest posts below, or use the drop down list to visit your favourite blog for the latest news.
First flowering at Kew for Critically Endangered Montserrat orchid
By: Marcella Corcoran - 30 Jan 2013Dust-like seeds of the orchid Epidendrum montserratense, collected on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, have been germinated and cultivated in carefully controlled conditions at Kew, to produce the first flowers of this species to be seen in the UK.
- 23 likes
- 1 comment
Conserving portraits of Kew botanists
By: Emma Le Cornu - 11 Feb 2013Discover the fascinating conservation work which has recently taken place on pastel portraits from Kew's Illustrations collection.
- 23 likes
- 1 comment
Ants, constipation, murder and the seeds of Ricinus communis
By: Wolfgang Stuppy - 04 Mar 2013Revolving around a humble seed, this month's blog covers nearly everything from seed morphology and digestive problems to the beautiful smell of racing car engines and James Bond-style murder. Discover the useful, funny and lethal sides of one of the most notorious seeds on Earth!
- 23 likes
- 3 comments
Displaying the letters of Augustine Henry
By: Virginia Mills - 03 Feb 2012The Directors' Correspondence team has just put some of the letters of botanist Augustine Henry on display in Kew's Library Reading Room. Find out why we chose him as our subject and how the display brings together material from many of Kew's behind-the-scenes collections.
- 22 likes
- 0 comments
That's not really how it was
By: Philip Smith - 03 Aug 2012You are at Kew with your camera and snapping away - but when you get home you may be disappointed - we have tips for you!
- 22 likes
- 4 comments
Discovering David Douglas through the Directors' Correspondence
By: Charlotte Rowley - 13 Mar 2013Read extracts from the letters of David Douglas in the Directors' Correspondence, and learn more about this remarkable plant-hunter and explorer.
- 22 likes
- 2 comments
Seed collecting on Mount Kilimanjaro
By: Emma Williams - 18 Apr 2013Kew Gardens botanist Emma Williams recounts her experiences on a recent seed collecting expedition to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
- 22 likes
- 2 comments
Repotting the Sarracenia collections
By: Nick Johnson - 28 Apr 2011Follow the Temperate unit as they complete the mammoth task of repotting the Sarracenia collections.
- 21 likes
- 2 comments
An introduction to Kew's Illustrations Team
By: Julia Buckley - 17 May 2011Find out about the work of Kew's Illustrations Team and the world class resource they care for on a daily basis.
- 21 likes
- 0 comments
Curse of the bamboo flower
By: Charlotte Rowley - 22 Aug 2011A letter in the Directors' Correspondence archive describes how the deadly prediction of an old Chinese proverb about bamboo flowering came true.
- 21 likes
- 4 comments
Big changes for names of algae, fungi, plants and plant fossils
By: Maria Vorontsova - 07 Sep 2011Botanists throw away the printing press and cancel Latin classes.
- 21 likes
- 2 comments
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Kew news
Study finds sixty percent of UK species in decline
22 May 2013
Kew has contributed to a groundbreaking report on the state of wildlife in the UK in time for International Day of Biological Diversity. It reveals that 60% of species studied have declined over recent decades.
What are hard seeds for?
14 May 2013
A new hypothesis has been proposed on why some seeds are hard.
Olympic rings spectacular unveiled
18 Apr 2012
A floral spectacular is in bloom in front of the Orangery at Kew Gardens to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games.
David Attenborough's Kingdom of Plants 3D now available on DVD and Blu-ray
13 Mar 2012
Filmed over the course of a year at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Kingdom of Plants 3D provides a fascinating new look at plant life using stunning 3D time-lapse filming techniques. Own your personal copy today following the DVD and Blu-ray release.
Recent comments
Brocken Spectres and Circular Rainbows: Hello Peggy! It's always nice to hear from the descendents of people who played an important part i ... by: Helen Hartley
Observations on a strange vegetable - the snake gourd: My Dad has grown gourds and pumpkin giants for over 30 years. He has the actual gourds in his house ... by: Ing
Brocken Spectres and Circular Rainbows: I am a direct descendant of Sir Daniel Morris. My paternal grandmother was Ruth Morris, one of three ... by: Peggy Farrington
Follow Kew on twitter
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Wed, 22 May 2013 19:26:15
kewgardens: Biodiversity and conservation at Kew, and what you can do to help the #stateofnature http://t.co/iXWUHjFKt0 #naturesintrouble -
Wed, 22 May 2013 17:01:00
kewgardens: Each year some of Kew's Herbarium botanists organise a Tropical Plant Identification Course. Read about it here: http://t.co/r51qERl2bO
BBC - Science & Environment
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Wed, 22 May 2013 18:00:21
Feet home to more than 100 fungi -
Wed, 22 May 2013 12:53:11
Solar plane sets off again across US
