Press Release

Spring colour to melt away winter blues!

1 March – 20 April 2008

The biggest display of colour in the country…

Kew Gardens is leaping into 2008 with the biggest display of spring flowers in the country. Over 5 million flowering bulbs will melt away the winter and carpet the beautiful open spaces of Kew with a riot of colour. Two million blue, white and mauve crocuses (Crocus vernus) will greet visitors as they enter the grand Victoria Gate entrance of the Gardens. This luxurious sea of colour stretches beyond the Temple of Bellona and towards King William's Temple from early March – it is one of Kew's most spectacular displays of the year. Visitors will also be able to stroll down the length of the Broad Walk bathed in the sunny glow of daffodils. The Broad Walk is one of the key features of Kew's Victorian landscape and provides a wonderful amble on a sunny spring day. Later in the season thousands of deep blue, starry flowered Chionodoxa siehei carpet the area surrounding White Peaks. These delicate alpine plants are known as Glory of the Snow in western Turkey as they emerge from the melting snow of the mountains.

Perfect timing, never miss the beautiful displays…

The best thing about spring at Kew is that visitors can time their trip to perfection by keeping an eye on our Bulb Watch map at www.kew.org/bulbwatch. This map, and photographs of the spring plants, is regularly updated by garden staff working in the Gardens so you can be sure never to miss one of the stunning displays! You can listen to Kew's experts Annette Dalton, Kate Price and Tony Hall as they reveal the hidden stories of Kew's spring bulbs and how they were planted. There is also a beautifully scented hyacinth display that adds yet another dimension to the multiple climatic zones of the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Free guided walking tours depart daily from the Guide's desk, inside the Victoria Plaza, at 11am and 2pm, to give you an informative look at the highlights of the season.

Fun for all the family…

Our friendly giant bunnies are returning to Kew from 21 - 24 March! Kindly brought along by the Giant Rabbit Centre, the massive bunnies will be situated near the Brentford Gate. From the 21 March to the 20 April, young explorers can follow Kew 's Bulb trail, taking them to a number of beautiful locations across the Gardens. At each destination answer a simple question about spring plants to complete your Trail Card and claim a prize. Easter weekend this year is going to be a treat for young explorers, with our annual free Easter Chocolate Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday - 23 March. Children collect tokens from our chicks and then receive a chocolate egg from the Easter bunny. The Easter egg hunt starts at 10am and finishes 2pm . There are activities for the whole family this spring and the popular free Animal Farm will be filling the school holidays with fun; children will be able to handle and pet animals on the Farm from the 5 – 20 April.

There will also be spring themed craft activities and interactive games in our botanical playzone, Climbers and Creepers from the 21 - 24 March and then the 5 - 20 April. Interactive activities and games explore the subjects of plants, gardens, bugs and butterflies. From the 5 - 12 April activities will be on the theme of Growth and Renewal - planting for your spring and summer garden. From the 13 - 20 April explore the lives of butterflies, bugs and bees - our Climbers and Creepers creatures!

Last chance to see Moore …

Spring will also be the last chance to see the Henry Moore at Kew exhibition, which closes on the 30 March. Supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and co-curated by The Henry Moore Foundation, this is the first exhibition of its kind to be held in London and has twenty-eight large-scale sculptures to admire. Drifts of flowers will provide the perfect backdrop to these beautiful sculptures as the season moves from winter through to spring. This powerful exhibition highlights the inspiration that Moore took from nature and his enjoyment of seeing his works in a landscape setting. Climbers and Creepers will be hosting ‘Natural Inspirations' where children can create art using materials which inspired Henry Moore. Family activities are taking place over the February Half Term from Saturday 16th to Sunday 24th February. Daily tours are also available to introduce you to Moore's monumental sculptures, his inspiration and his work. Tours leave from the Guides' Desk, Victoria Plaza, at 12pm in February and 12pm and 1.30pm in March. Also look out for our special late night Henry Moore events in March…

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact Catherine Owen, Bronwen Friedlander or Anna Quenby in the Kew Gardens press office on 020 8332 5607 or email pr@kew.org. Images are available at www.kew.org/press/images, please contact the press office for the username and password.

Up until the 9th of February 2008 the Gardens open from 9.30am and close at 4.15pm. From the 10th February until the 29th March 2008 Kew Gardens will close at 5.30pm. From the 30th March 2008 Monday to Friday the gates will close at 6.30pm and 7.30pm on weekends. Until 31 March 08, admission is £12.25 adults, £10.25 concessions and FREE to children under the age of 17. From the 1 April 08 until the 31 March 09 admission will be £13 for adults and £12 for concession and FREE to children under the age of 17. Further visitor information can be gained by visiting www.kew.org, calling 020 8332 5655 or emailing info@kew.org.

Climbers and Creepers activities are for three to nine year olds and take place at 2pm and 3pm; with fun and games at 4pm, children must be accompanied. Sessions are free but numbers of children are limited and last 30 minutes. Tickets are issued by staff in Climbers and Creepers on a first-come first-served basis for that day's activities only.

Royal Botanic Gardens , Kew

Kew Gardens is a major international visitor attraction and its 132 hectares of landscaped gardens attract over one million visitors per year. Kew was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and represents over 250 years of historical landscape. The site houses over 40 listed buildings and other structures including the Palm House, Temperate House, Orangery and Pagoda as well as two ancient monuments, Queen Charlotte's Cottage and Kew Palace. RBG, Kew is a world famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and world-class herbarium as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world. www.kew.org.

The Henry Moore Foundation

The Henry Moore Foundation maintains the artist's studios and grounds at Perry Green in Hertfordshire, as well as the world's largest collection of Moore's sculpture, drawings, graphics, textiles and tapestries. The Foundation is open to visitors from April to October, by appointment, 01279 843333. The collection is managed from Perry Green by the curatorial staff, who are actively involved in the research, support and curating of Moore's work worldwide. www.henry-moore-fdn.co.uk.

For further Press information please contact: