Wonders and marvels
Kew's two botanic gardens are beautiful green spaces, places to breathe fresh air and admire the beauty of nature. They also offer refuge to plants from near and far which are rare or endangered at home.
As a showcase for the diversity of plant life, our Gardens have the power to transform people's understanding of the role plants play in supporting life on Earth. The Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst are perfect places to get across the message that conservation isn't a luxury but a necessity, and to help people understand the vital role Kew plays in global conservation.
We are weaving that message into everything we now do, from our seasonal events and regular exhibitions, to children's activities, education programmes and new plantings.
Kew's Breathing Planet Programme (pdf) | Help Kew: Adopt a seed for £25
Using botanic gardens to inform and inspire
One of Kew's key aims is to inspire and inform visitors to the Gardens at Kew and Wakehurst on a daily basis, be they members of the public who come to Kew for a relaxing day out, researchers who come to consult its unrivalled Herbarium collections, or school children on an official educational visit.
- Using our gardens to inform visitors and inspire a passion for plant and fungal life
- Visit Kew Gardens
- Visit Wakehurst, home to Kew's Millennium Seed Bank
Join the Great Plant Hunt
The Great Plant Hunt is the UK's biggest primary school science project. This exciting project encourages primary school students to explore the natural world around them and join other schools in the biggest ever school science project.
Forming part of the Darwin 200 initiative, The Great Plant Hunt invites primary school students to follow in the footsteps of Darwin by going on nature walks in and around their school grounds. They'll find out more about plants, and in the process learn key scientific skills.
Bringing Kew to you
Kew is involved in many activities in the UK and internationally that inspire new audiences with the natural world. By taking Kew to new places we can provide many more people with access to Kew's knowledge and expertise, and further showcase our commitment to the well-being of the world's plant and fungal life.
- Kew at Chelsea Flower Show 2011
- Australia Landscape at the British Museum 2011
- South Africa Landscape at the British Museum 2010
- Shanghai Expo 2010
Wonders & Marvels
Follow Kew
Keep up to date with events and news from Kew
Related Links
Science & Conservation news
Mapping the Harapan Rainforest - how we did it
by: Jenny Williams, GIS team blog 24 May 2012
Find out how Kew's GIS unit used remote sensing and field work to produce vegetation maps for the Harapan Rainforest Project.
- 4 likes
- 0 comments
Launching the UKOTs Online Herbarium
by: Sara Barrios, UK Overseas Territories team blog 22 May 2012
We are bringing the unique and amazing plants that grow in the UKOTs, including those from the Caribbean, a little closer to you in celebration of International Day of Biological Diversity. Just a shame we can't bring the Caribbean weather too!
- 10 likes
- 0 comments
World's smallest waterlily brought back from the brink of extinction at Kew
18 May 2010
Kew’s top propagation ‘code-breaker’, horticulturist Carlos Magdalena, has cracked the enigma of growing a rare species of African waterlily. The 'thermal’ lily (Nymphaea thermarum) is believed to be the smallest waterlily in the world, with pads that can be as little as 1 cm in diameter.
Director (CEO and Chief Scientist) of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew to return to Australia
14 Sep 2011
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew announced today that Director (CEO and Chief Scientist), Professor Stephen Hopper FLS will step down in autumn 2012 after six years in the job.
