Conifers

Conifers at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst Place

Records show that the first pinetum (collection of conifers) in the original botanic garden, sited close to the Orangery at Kew, contained 36 conifers in 1789. By 1813 this had risen to 56. One of these original plantings is the Corsican pine (Pinus
maritima) which can still be seen near the Main Gate.

The second pinetum was planted randomly on land donated to the Gardens by Queen Victoria in 1843. Some of the conifer plantings of that time, especially Pinus species, can still be seen north-west of the Waterlily House.

In 1845 another 90 hectares (200 acres) of woods and pleasure grounds were added to the botanic garden. The intention was to form a national arboretum (collection of trees). This led to the initial planting of the present pinetum in 1870 under the direction of Sir Joseph Hooker, the second official director of Kew. Some of the younger conifer specimens that had been planted in the second arboretum were transplanted to this new site. The pinetum was laid out by genera in systematic order, with all the species in the same genus together.

As atmospheric pollution around London increased in the early twentieth century, the health of the conifers at Kew declined to such an extent that, in 1920, it was decided to establish a pinetum in the country. It was agreed that, apart from clean air, the site
should also have a deeper and more water retentive soil than at Kew so that Abies and other moisture-loving conifers would flourish. In a joint venture, Kew and the Forestry Commission acquired land at Bedgebury in Kent for a new pinetum in 1924. Over the next 20 years this site was planted up and became the National Pinetum. It is now entirely in the hands of the Forestry
Commission but still retains close links with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

At Wakehurst Place, Kew’s sister garden in Sussex, there is an extensive pinetum complementing that at Kew. Kew’s collection
focusses on conifers such as Cupressus, Juniperus and Pinus which are tolerant of dry soils, whilst Wakehurst Place holds more
comprehensive collections of Abies and Picea which both require damper soils. The Wakehurst Place pinetum was devastated in the storm of 1987, but has since been extensively replanted.

Trials are being undertaken at Wakehurst Place to identify new species of conifer for use as Christmas trees, and both 'home-grown' and bought-in trees can be purchased during December in shops at Kew and Wakehurst Place.

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