May 2023 at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst
Release date: 13 April 2023
- Horticultural highlights include stunning cherry blossom, vibrant tulips and beautiful bluebells
- New exhibitions in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art now open
- Wellbeing events return with yoga in the Temperate House and Forest Bathing
- Short courses include papercraft, terrazzo and weaving
- Opening this month: The Wander Project
Kew Gardens
Horticultural Highlights
Horticultural highlights on display this May across Kew Gardens include a stunning sea of cherry blossom and tulips outside the Temperate House, beautiful bluebells in the natural area and vibrant colour across Rhododendron Dell. Following a two-year redesign, the Peony Garden will flourish, bringing scent and colour to the Evolution Garden. At Wakehurst, woodlands are carpeted by a dazzling sea of bluebells, and stunning pink azalea comes into bloom in the Iris Dell.
All the Flowers are for Me and Plants of the Qur’ān | Entry included in admission
Now open in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, brand-new art exhibitions All the Flowers are for Me and Plants of the Qur’ān. Acclaimed artists Anila Quayyum Agha and Sue Wickison present new works exploring themes of faith and cultural exchanges and this tandem exhibition showcases stunning contemporary sculptural work alongside intricate botanical paintings. Gallery Six is also showcasing The Wonderful World of Water Plants, featuring an array of works from the Shirley Sherwood Collection.
Celebrate the coronation at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst
Celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III within the stunning surroundings of Kew Gardens’ 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site or at Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex. Whether taking the opportunity to celebrate the event with loved ones over a picnic, discovering more about Kew’s royal history, or taking the time to marvel at Kew’s unparalleled plant collection or glasshouses, there are plenty of opportunities to mark the Coronation at Kew this May. Wakehurst's Coronation Meadow, created in 2015 in response to the then Prince of Wales’s call for new wildflower meadows, will also reopen to mark the weekend.
The Wander Project Opens at Kew
This summer, Kew Gardens invites visitors to embark on The Wander Project, a unique series of trails encouraging people to explore the great outdoors and enjoy spending time in nature. From Saturday 27 May, a series of bespoke new trails will take over the gardens, presenting a plethora of options for outdoor adventure against the stunning backdrop of Kew’s 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Wellbeing at Kew
Kew’s popular wellbeing events return this month, supporting both physical and mental wellbeing within the inspiring surroundings of Kew Gardens’ 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage site. All tickets include entry to Kew Gardens and a 20% discount in our restaurants.
Tai chi | 5, 12, 19 and 26 May| 9am – 10am | Mediterranean Garden |
Boost your physical and mental wellbeing with the centuries-old Chinese martial art, Tai chi, amidst the tranquil surroundings of Kew’s Mediterranean Garden.
Forest bathing | 12, 20 and 27 May | 10.30am- 1.30pm | Arboretum
Inspired by the Japanese art of Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is a sensory woodland walk alongside an expert guide, who will lead participants as they disconnect from the stresses of everyday life. Organised in partnership with the Forest Bathing Institute.
Temperate House Yoga | 4 May| 7.30am – 8.45am | Temperate House
These one-hour vinyasa flow sessions are held in the spectacular Temperate House. Enjoy pre-opening classes in the midst of 10,000 rare and endangered plants, led by Anil Jangi, Kew’s own yoga instructor.
Kew Publishing Book of the Month: Hello Kew by Sophie Shillito
Hello Kew is a stunning scrapbook of words and pictures which celebrates Kew’s souvenir guidebooks and recreates the experience of visiting Kew through the ages. This beautifully curated album of fascinating cuttings, charming pictures and intriguing stories allows readers to time-travel through Kew’s ancient landscape, glimpsing history and discovering the Gardens. It is a keepsake from the past, a souvenir from a trip to a time before ours, a book that celebrates the glory of Kew.
Short Courses
Why not sign up for a crafty new short course at Kew Gardens? Led by a selection of experts, these one-day courses and workshops offer unique opportunities to develop fresh skills within the stunning surroundings of Kew’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Botanical pigment and watercolour making workshop | 1 May | 10.30am – 4pm | Botanical Brasserie Restaurant
In this workshop, led by Lucy Mayes from London Pigment, you will learn how to make a botanical palette of three primary colours from native plant species. Leave the class with your own set of botanical watercolours and a completed, specially designed colour chart.
Sweet Pea Paper Flower Workshop | 9 May | 10.30am – 2.30pm | Nash Conservatory
In this workshop, you will get to work with a range of the finest crepe papers and be guided through some of the techniques of paper flower making. Learn how to make your own beautifully realistic crepe paper Sweet Pea stem with Susie of A Petal Unfolds.
Terazzo Plant Pot Workshop | 19 May | 10.30am – 1pm | Botanical Brasserie Restaurant
In this workshop, you will learn how to work with Jesmonite, mix your own colours and pigment the material. You will have the opportunity to create your own unique terrazzo chip blend and learn how to cast your materials into silicone plant pot moulds.
Flower drawing and dissection: Intermediate | 13- 14 May | 10.30am – 4pm | Botanical Brasserie Courtyard
Understanding flower structure and form is an essential tool for both botanical illustrators and artists. Guided by botanical artist Lucy Smith, you will study a range of different flower types and draw dissections of these using a variety of measuring tools.
Frame weaving from waste workshop | 26 May | 10.30am – 12.30pm | Nash Conservatory
Learn the basics and develop your own distinctive voice as a weaver in this 2-hour masterclass. Turn your household waste textiles from old T-shirts to pillowcases into textile masterpieces. Make a small wall hanging, pieces for a patchwork, a phone-case or an abstract artwork, and plenty more. Let your imagination run wild!
Wakehurst
Events
Habitat Hero | Saturday 27 May – 4 June | 10am - 5.30pm | £3 for mission | Capes: £13.50 or £6.75 for members
Join the next Nature Heroes mission and learn all about our diverse habitats. Pick up an activity leaflet and complete the mission to gain your Habitat Hero badge. Suitable for children aged 4 years and above.
Make a bee hotel | Saturday 27 May – 4 June | Daily drop-in| £4.50
Get creative with this drop-in session and make your very own bee hotel. Using materials foraged from our gardens, these bee-autiful little homes will be perfect to hang in your garden or local green space to help boost the population of our pollinator friends.
Wakehurst Workshops
Forest Bathing | Thursday 11 & Saturday 20 May | 10am – 1pm or 2pm – 5pm | £22.50 or £20 for Wakehurst and Kew members
Based on the Japanese art of Shinrin-yoku, forest bathing allows you to slow down in a forest environment. Swedish teacher Helena Skoog will show you how to use all your senses to connect with your surroundings, drawing on the power of nature to relieve tension, relax and nourish your sense of wellbeing.
Macramé plant hanger workshop | Saturday 13 May | 10.30am - 12pm or 1.30pm - 3.30pm | £35 or £31.50 for Wakehurst and Kew members
Learn the art of macramé and create your own stylish plant hanger in this fun hands-on workshop. Guiding you through this easy-to-follow session is Lucy Rowan, author and expert weaver, where you'll discover the soothing process of macramé knotting. This workshop is perfect for beginners as well as more experienced creatives.
Willow weaving workshops | Friday 19 May | 10.30am - 4.30pm | £89 or £80 for Wakehurst and Kew members
Join us to discover the secrets of the traditional art of willow weaving and create your own willow structure. Workshop leader Dominic Parrette, a Sussex-based basket maker and willow grower, will guide you through the willow weaving process to help you produce a stunning willow hare structure that will look great in your garden.
Exhibitions
Surviving or Thriving: An exhibition on plants and us | Daily, 10am – 3.30pm | Millennium Seed Bank | Included with entry
This exhibition brings Kew’s State of the World’s Plants reports to life, telling the story of why some plants are only surviving, while others are thriving. Through film, audio, models, and a futuristic garden, explore the challenges that plants face and discover the vital role of fungi too.
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ENDS
Notes to Editors
About Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding collections and scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation, and sustainable development in the UK and around the globe. Kew’s scientists and partners lead the way in the fight against biodiversity loss and finding nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, aided by five key scientific priorities outlined in Kew’s Science Strategy 2021-2025. Kew Gardens is also a major international and top London visitor attraction. Kew’s 132 hectares of historic, landscaped gardens, and Wakehurst, Kew’s Wild Botanic Garden and ‘living laboratory’, attract over 2.5 million visits every year. Kew Gardens was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2019. Wakehurst is home to the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world and a safeguard against the disastrous effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. RBG Kew received approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needs to support RBG Kew’s vital scientific and educational work comes from donors, memberships and commercial activity including ticket sales. For tickets, please visit www.kew.org/kew-gardens/visit-kew-gardens/tickets. In the first six months since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed over 20,000 visitors with £1 tickets.
About Wakehurst
Please note that Wakehurst is referred to just as Wakehurst, not Wakehurst Place. It is not a National Trust property.
Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex is home to the Millennium Seed Bank and over 500 acres of the world’s plants including temperate woodlands, ornamental gardens and a nature reserve. It is situated in the High Weald of Sussex, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and focuses on wild plant collections. The Millennium Seed Bank houses and protects seed from the world’s most substantial and diverse collection of threatened and useful wild plants, making it the most biodiverse place on earth.
RBG Kew receives just under half of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needed to support Kew’s vital work comes from donors, membership and commercial activity including ticket sales.
In March 2021, RBG Kew launched its 10-year strategy Our Manifesto for Change 2021. The institution’s ultimate goal is step up to help to end the extinction crisis and contribute to creating a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. In the wake of a global pandemic, and with the future of the planet in peril, the strategy represents a public commitment by RBG Kew to do everything in its power to reverse the environmental devastation of biodiversity loss and climate change. The five key priorities are 1) Delivering science-based knowledge and solutions to protect biodiversity and use natural resources sustainably 2) Inspiring people to protect the natural world 3) Training the next generation of experts: 4) Extending our reach 5) Influencing national and international opinion and policy.
On May 25 2021 RBG Kew launched its new Sustainability Strategy – committing to become Climate Positive by 2030 and marking a step-change in our urgent action to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis.