Celebrate the Platinum Jubilee at Kew Gardens this summer

This summer, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew welcomes visitors to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen within the stunning surroundings of Kew Gardens’ 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whether celebrating this momentous milestone with a picturesque picnic, discovering more about the history of Kew Gardens and its early life as an 18th century royal garden, or encountering Kew’s vast living collection as part of Kew’s newly installed plant panels, there are a plethora of opportunities to mark the Platinum Jubilee at Kew this summer.  

Kew celebrating the Platinum Jubilee 

Discover more about the wonderful flora of locations visited by Her Majesty the Queen with our new journey around the gardens. Exploring notable plants from nations which have been the locations of official state visits and royal tours during Queen Elizabeth II’s unparalleled 70-year reign, this is a fresh opportunity to explore Kew’s record-breaking living collection from a brand-new perspective.  

Royal History at Kew 

Visitors can also mark this landmark occasion by uncovering more about the royal history and heritage of the gardens. Founded in 1759 by Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, Kew Gardens began life as a nine-acre botanic garden within the pleasure grounds at Kew. In 1802, King George III united the Richmond and Kew estates, enriching the gardens and establishing Kew Palace within the grounds before they became a national botanical garden in 1840. Entering Kew Palace, visitors can get a fascinating insight into Georgian life by exploring the Royal Kitchens, preserved as they were in 1818, and the royal bedrooms, once home to the daughters of King George III.  

Alongside Kew Palace sits the majestic Queen’s Garden, dedicated exclusively to the plants and architectural styles of the 17th century. Home to the oldest sculptures at Kew, the garden is planted with a range of medicinal herbs and plants, and during May and June comes to life with a spectacular display of golden yellow laburnum. Other royal connections to explore at Kew Gardens this summer include the Princess of Wales Conservatory (named after Princess Augusta), Elizabeth Gate and Queen Charlotte’s Cottage, which sits within the tranquil surroundings of Natural Area, donated to Kew by Queen Victoria. This stunning, untamed landscape is home to tall grasses, wildflowers, butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies and offers a scenic adventure away from the beaten track. 

The Queen and trees at Kew 

During her 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II has visited Kew Gardens on five occasions, in 1959, 1969, 1977 and 2004,  when she planted a walnut tree and enjoyed a tour of the gardens, visiting Kew Palace, Syon Vista, the Palm House and the Water Lily House. On her most recent visit in 2009 she planted a Ginkgo Tree, one of the oldest living tree species in the world. The Ginkgo is the sole survivor of an ancient group of trees that date back to before dinosaurs roamed the Earth – creatures that lived between 245 and 66 million years ago. 

As part of The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, in 2021 staff at Kew Gardens planted a Fraxinus americana (White Ash) tree at the northern end of the lake, helping to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee with partners across the UK. To date, over one million trees have been planted as part of this landmark nationwide initiative.  

The Queen’s Beasts 

The original Queen’s Beasts were a set of ten heraldic statues produced by the Ministry of Works for the coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Created by renowned sculptor James Woodford, the statues represented the heraldic creatures appearing in the lineage of the Queen’s ancestry, symbolising her royal descent and legitimacy as heir to the throne. They comprised the lion of England, the griffin of Edward III, the falcon of the Plantagenets, the black bull of Clarence, the yale of Beaufort, the white lion of Mortimer, the white greyhound of Richmond, the red dragon of Wales, the unicorn of Scotland and the white horse of Hanover. After the coronation, these original creations were moved to Hampton Court Palace, and then to St George’s Hall in Windsor. In 1959 it was decided that the sculptures would be gifted to Canada.  

In 1956 a replica set of beasts were sculpted from Portland stone by James Woodford and donated to Kew. These are still on display and can be seen on the approach to the main entrance of the Palm House.  

Al fresco dining 

Kew Gardens offers an array of picturesque picnic spots - perfect for enjoying a celebratory afternoon tea, coronation chicken sandwiches or tucking into a slice of Victoria sponge cake amongst some of the world’s most enthralling flora. The Rose Garden, home to 170 different species, offers magnificent views of the Palm House, the first glasshouse in the world built to this scale when it was constructed in 1844. The magnificent Arboretum, home to over 10,000 trees, offers the perfect shaded spots for picnicking, and encompasses some of Kew’s oldest and rarest trees. The Cedar Vista offers stunning views of the Great Pagoda, completed in 1762 as a gift for Princess Augusta and restored to its original 18th century splendour in 2018.  

Alongside this, visitors can soak up the splendour of Kew Gardens in the summer- exploring hidden gems such as the Mediterranean Garden and iconic buildings including the Palm House and Temperate House, the world’s largest Victorian glasshouse, home to 10,000 of the world’s rarest plants from Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific Islands.