What’s on this June at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst
Release date: 30 May 2022
- Food Forever, a summer of art exploring the future of food, continues at Kew Gardens
- Pip & Pop: When Flowers Dream in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art
- Horticultural highlights include wisteria, peonies and wildflowers
- Tickets on sale for Nourish at Wakehurst, featuring art installations, workshops and evening events
- Wellbeing activities including Forest Bathing and Temperate House Yoga at Kew Gardens, and exclusive cycling and dog walking evenings at Wakehurst
- Short courses including organic gardening and introduction to vegetable growing
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, continues this June. Exploring the future of food and how the choices we make can help to transform the planet for good, visitors can discover large scale art installations around the gardens, including a fantastical cornfield labyrinth and a giant mythical troll picnic.
Food Forever Evening Talks
2nd June | What will our grandchildren eat? | Dan Saladino and Maria Fuentenebro
Chaired by Radio 4’s Food Programme’s Dan Saladino, this talk will look to both our history and near futures, as discussion explores how the food we eat is changing at an extraordinary rate.
What can we learn from different food traditions and cultures to sustain future generations in a changing world?
16th June | Understanding the true cost of our weekly shop | Professor Phil Stevenson, RBG Kew
This panel examines the critical issues of food poverty and rising living costs alongside climate and biodiversity loss and the urgent need for our diets to become less environmentally destructive. Thinking about food through the lens of social and environmental justice, we ask: how we can achieve healthier and fairer food systems for all?
30th June | Equity and circularity through food | Zoe Adjonyoh, Nora Castañeda-Alvarez
Plant and crop diversity is critical to our collective health and wellbeing. This discussion explores how we might reimagine the food systems that shape our lives. If we could start afresh with equity and circularity in mind, what would our food systems look like now? Chaired by chef and writer Zoe Adjonyoh.
Food Forever Weekends
4th & 5th June | We are all Futurists with Sharp & Sour
Join the designers behind Future Food Stories to discover what kind of futurist you are and share ideas on how we might shape future food systems.
11, 12, 18 & 19th June | Minus Pollinators by Freddie Yauner and Max Fraser
The year is 2031. Drop by this drinks kiosk exploring ideas of biodiversity loss, and imagine what our food system would look like without pollinators.
When Flowers Dream
Now open 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.
The Art of Food
Alongside When Flowers Dream in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art 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 as nourishment. Artists featuring include Phansakdi Chakkaphak, Brigid Edwards and Alvaro E. X. Nunes.
Horticultural Highlights
Horticultural highlights on display this June at Kew and Wakehurst include numerous varieties of peonies and fragrant Rose Garden- the ideal spot enjoy a balmy summer evening. Wakehurst’s Coronation Meadow of native flowers and grasses are beginning to bloom, and Kew’s Great Broad Walk Borders showcase a spectacular range of colourful summer plants. Wakehurst’s enchanting Iris Dell features stunning pink azaleas in bloom, bringing a wave of colour to this peaceful spot in the gardens.
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 & 18th June| 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 | 3rd, 10th, 17th & 24th June| 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 | 1st & 21st June| 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 | 23rd June| 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
Right plant, right place | 1 June | 10.30am – 4pm | Lady Sainsbury Lecture Theatre | £80
Plant selection for the garden can be tricky. This one-day course will give you lots of ideas and inspiration for plants that suit different situations and soil conditions, in both sunny and shady spots.
Discover the world of chocolate | 8 June | 2pm – 4.30pm | The Nash Conservatory | £65
Discover the cocoa plantations housed within Kew Gardens and learn about the chocolate-making process from bean to bar. During this course, taught by Montezuma’s head chocolatier Caitlin Paxton-Smith, you will hear about the fascinating history of chocolate, how it is made and how you can tell the different kinds apart.
No-dig gardening | 9 June | 10.30am – 4pm | 10.30am – 4pm | Cambridge Cottage | £80
The Kitchen Garden at Kew uses a no-dig cultivation system to ensure good soil health. This course covers the techniques used to achieve a no-dig garden and looks at the theory behind why it is so effective.
Photo walk: Kew in summer | 15 June | 10.30am – 12.30pm or 1.30pm – 3.30pm | £65
Let Kew Gardens stimulate your creativity, in all its summer beauty. On this photo walk, experienced photographer and tutor Marcus Clackson will cover a wide range of photographic techniques from macro to landscape. This course is suitable for photographers of all abilities looking to improve digital camera technique. Please note that a reasonable level of fitness is required to enjoy this walk fully.
Kogin embroidery workshop | 22 June | 1pm – 4pm | Kew Gardens | £80
Join this workshop to learn about Kogin embroidery and create your own piece to take home. Kogin embroidery is a type of Sashiko or counted thread work, originating in the Northern part of Japan in Aomori Prefecture. In this workshop you will learn stitching techniques and how to create border patterns as well as how to start creating your own designs.
Plant propagation | 30 June | 10.30am – 4pm | Lady Sainsbury Lecture Theatre | £80
Come and learn how to propagate vegetables, shrubs, herbaceous plants, house plants and all types of bedding. This course will provide a helpful introduction to the various methods you can use to increase your plant numbers.
Wakehurst
Events
Nourish | 8 July – 18 September | Tickets on sale May 2022
Discover the future of plants and food, and nourish your mind and body as you encounter five striking installations in Wakehurst’s wild landscape. Embark on a journey through immersive artworks and enjoy a variety of enchanting events after hours.
Wellbeing Evenings: Dog Walking | 16 June | 6pm – 8:30pm (last entry 6:30pm) | Wakehurst | Adults: £7.50, Wakehurst and Kew members: £5, Children under 16: Free
Soak up the evening sun as you stroll around the wild botanic garden, with your canine companion in tow! The designated route will weave through woodlands of the world and past Westwood Lake, offering a variety of exciting terrains and surroundings to explore. There will also be the chance to finish off the evening walk with well-earned refreshing drinks and dog ice cream before heading home!
Wellbeing Evenings: Cycling | 25 June | 6pm – 8:30pm (Entry slots 6pm & 6:30pm) | Wakehurst | Adults: £7.50, Wakehurst and Kew members: £5, Children under 16: Free
Explore Wakehurst on two wheels, with two routes forming a leisurely cycle around the magnificent gardens in the evening sun. This event promises to be enjoyable for all the family, with a short flat route for an easy-going experience, and a more adventurous loop taking in impressive views of the dramatic landscapes.
Workshops
Moving Meditations | Saturday 4 June, 10:30am – 2:30pm | Meet at the Visitor Centre 20 minutes before | £30 or £27 for Wakehurst and Kew members (includes entry to the gardens)
Join a relaxing workshop to learn about and practise qigong, an ancient Chinese art. Led by Swedish teacher Helena Skoog, you’ll use a combination of deep breathing and meditation techniques to support your body’s ability to maintain health, in the peaceful surroundings of the gardens.
Elderflower sparkling wine workshop | Saturday 11 & Sunday 12 June, 10:30am – 12:30pm and 2pm – 4pm | Meet at the Visitor Centre 20 minutes before | £55 or £50 for Wakehurst and Kew members (includes entry to the gardens)
Under the expert guidance of Old Tree Brewery, learn how to create this seasonal fizz and discover the secrets of the process. You’ll also get to sample a selection of botanical drinks and take home a completed batch of delicious Elderflower wine.
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 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.