What’s on this May at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst

Kew Gardens

Food Forever

Food; we love it and we can’t live without it. But the world is changing, and so is what we eat. Kew’s exciting new summer programme, Food Forever, begins on 21 May. Exploring the future of food and how the choices we make can help to transform the planet for good, visitors can discover interactive art installations around the gardens, including a fantastical cornfield labyrinth and a giant troll picnic, as well as talks, films and after-hours events. 

Pip & Pop: When Flowers Dream

Also opening on 21 May in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art is the debut London exhibition for acclaimed artist Tanya Schultz, known as Pip & Pop. When Flowers Dream showcases an eclectic, playful and immersive mix of vibrant artworks and a brand-new bespoke installation created especially for Kew Gardens- an imaginary landscape brimming with foods of the future.

Horticultural Highlights

Spring continues to unfold across Kew Gardens, as cherry blossoms and tulips make their stunning yearly return near the Temperate House. The Rhododendron Dell offers spectacular shows of colour as it continues to bloom for visitors to enjoy. At Wakehurst, visitors can wander through Bethlehem Wood to discover the must-see blanket of bluebells, giving the National Collection of birch trees an ethereal feel.  Throughout spring, the Himalayan Glade’s birdwatching spot is a hubbub of activity and provides views of the deep valleys and high sandstone cliffs.

The Art of Food

Alongside Pip & Pop in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art from 21 May is The Art of Food, a new exhibition featuring a series of still life and plant portraiture from the Shirley Sherwood Collection. Works on display as part of this exhibition showcase plants which provide carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins and nourishment. Artists featuring include Phansakdi Chakkaphak, Brigid Edwards and Alvaro E. X. Nunes.

Wellbeing at Kew

Kew’s popular wellbeing events support both physical and mental wellbeing within the inspiring surroundings of Kew Gardens’ 320-acre UNESCO World Heritage site.

Forest bathing 3rd, 11th, 19th & 28th May| 10.30am- 1.30pm | Arboretum | £60 (includes entry to the Kew Gardens and 20% discount in our restaurants)

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.

Tai chi | 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th May | 9am – 10am | Mediterranean Garden | £35 (includes entry to Kew Gardens and 20% discount in our restaurants)

Boost your physical and mental wellbeing with the centuries-old Chinese martial art, ta chi, amidst the tranquil surroundings of Kew’s Mediterranean Garden.

Temperate House Yoga | 5th & 10th May | 7.30am – 8.45am | Temperate House | £45 (includes entry to Kew Gardens and 20% discount in our restaurants)

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.

Summer Cycle | 19th May | 5.30pm – 8.30pm | £20 (adult), £10 (child)

Join us this summer to soak up the magic of Kew on two wheels with this unique opportunity to explore the gardens as part of our dedicated cycling evenings. Take in the enchanted woodlands and beautiful blooms; stop for a picnic or summer drink and listen to live music, and smell the aroma of the Rose Garden as the sun begins to set.

Short Courses

Macro photography workshop | 11th May | 10.30am – 4.30pm | Victoria Gate | £90
Led by experienced photographer and tutor Marcus Clackson, this course takes a detailed look at the extreme close-up world of macro and still life photography. Using daylight, constant and flash lighting, participants will learn how to get the best out of their subjects, from flowers to insects.

Flower drawing and dissection: Intermediate | 14 – 15 May | 10.30am – 4pm | Museum No.1 | £240
Understanding flower structure and form is an essential tool for both botanical illustrators and artists. Guided by botanical artist Lucy Smith, this course offers the opportunity to study a range of different flower types and draw dissections of these using a variety of measuring tools, as well as tips on how to produce enlarged drawings which are accurate, informative and beautiful.

Photo walk: Kew in spring | 18th May | 10.30am - 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 3.30pm | Victoria Gate | £65
Spring is the ideal time to visit Kew with a camera to capture an array of seasonal spectacles. This course, delivered by Marcus Clackson, will allow participants to learn a range of photographic techniques from macro to landscape to develop their portfolio as they soak up the wonder of spring at Kew Gardens.

ENDS

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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 as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world. Kew Gardens is a major international and a top London visitor attraction. Kew Gardens’ 132 hectares of landscaped gardens, and Wakehurst, Kew’s Wild Botanic Garden, 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 Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world. RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needed to support RBG Kew’s vital work comes from donors, membership and commercial activity including ticket sales.

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 25th 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.

What we are doing to keep visitors safe 

The safety and wellbeing of our visitors is of the utmost importance to us and we are continually monitoring and responding to the Covid-19 pandemic as it evolves. We are adhering to government advice in our planning to ensure visitors and staff remain safe while enjoying Kew and Wakehurst. Safety measures will reflect government advice at the time of visiting and will be clearly communicated across RBG Kew’s channels and onsite.