Garden Features

Duke's Garden

Within this tranquil walled garden, there are large formal lawns framed by a series of seasonal beds. The plantings of trees, shrubs and herbaceous perennials have been designed to provide floral interest throughout the year. An informal flower garden, it has been created by combining both species and cultivars, with "the emphasis on pleasure rather than on science".

The Duke's Garden provides a quiet and calm place to reflect on the wonderful array of plants and habitats encountered on a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

The Duke's Garden was formerly the private garden for Cambridge Cottage. In 1904 it became part of the Royal Botanic Gardens and was opened to the public. Several alterations were made to the original layout and The Duke's Garden continues to evolve, incorporating new features and plants. Currently, development focuses on the renovation of the Winter Border.

The Duchess Border, running the length of the outer wall, contains the Lavender Species Collection. Lavandula has long been considered a garden worthy plant, noted for its aesthetic and medicinal value. The Duchess Border is also used to grow specimen plants from Mediterranean regions of the world to determine their hardiness in the south of England.

With increasing climatic change and the need for more economical water use, a Dry / Gravel Garden has been created. This is to give visitors an insight into the diversity of attractive plants that can be successfully grown, demanding less water than those traditionally chosen for gardens in the United Kingdom. This is in association with Thames Water.

The Duke's Garden is number 10 on the Visitor Map.