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10 Best Facts about Kew Gardens in London

Located in southwest London, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew is the world’s largest fauna collection. Known as the Kew Gardens this UNESCO World Heritage has a collection of more than 50,000 living plants. It became a UNESCO site in July 2003 and has millions of preserved specimens. The gardens receive more than a million visitors each year.

In 1501, Henry VII built his permanent royal residence, Richmond Palace. The nearby Kew estate became the private estate for courtiers in the early 16th century. One of the new private estates, Kew Field, farmed a strip of land around 1600. This section later became the gardens. In 1731, Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Augusta Dowager Princess of Wales acquired the land from the Capel family.

In 1759, they created a garden for exotic plants in which William Chambers built a Chinese pagoda in 1761. By 1769, there were more than 3,400 plant species in Kew Field. In 1772, Kew royal estates and Richmond merged, creating Kew gardens. It was under Sir Joseph Banks’ management that the garden became famous. His collection included specimens from around the globe.

In 1987, the Great Storm destroyed hundreds of trees in the garden. Only 5 trees from the garden’s establishment in 1762 survived. These trees are referred to as the ‘Five Lions’. Entry into the Kew Gardens needs to be secured in advance.

Below are ten interesting facts about Kew Gardens

1. Kew Gardens has rare plants and is one of the most biodiverse places in the world

The Nash Conservatory in Kew Gardens. Photo by Patche99z/

The Gardens has one of the largest plant varieties in the world. This large botanical garden has more than 50,000 plants. The plants are grown in the garden and in controlled environments in nurseries and glasshouses.

2. Kew Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage site

The Water Lily House at Kew Gardens. Photo by Prl42/

Kew Gardens is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its outstanding value universally. Recognized due to their significance in a global context, the gardens are of extensive importance to humanity’s current and coming generations.

3. The Gardens have an Arboretum with 14,000 trees

The Orangery in Kew Gardens, London, was designed by Sir William Chambers, and was completed in 1761. It measures 28m x 10m. After many changes of use, it is currently used as a cafe. Kew Palace can be seen in the background. Photo by Patche99z/

There are 14,000 trees at Kew Gardens and the diverse species are about 2,000. Some are ancient and rare and cannot be found anywhere else in Britain. The chestnut-leaved oak is the fastest growing tree in the gardens. It measures 30m tall and 30m wide.

The tallest tree at a height of 40 meters is the giant redwood. This height is similar to that of a 13-story building. The Lucombe oak, the black locust tree, and the Japanese pagoda tree are the oldest trees in the gardens. These old trees date back to the 18th century.

4. The foundation of the Princess of Wales Conservatory holds a time capsule

A 2 x 9 segment panoramic image of the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Photo by Diliff/

In 1985, Sir David Attenborough buried a time capsule that will be opened in 2085. The capsule contains seeds of endangered species and basic food crops.

The capsule contains objects that may be of interest to the future generation. Additionally, the capsule delivers Attenborough’s interest and apprehension for the planet’s sustainability.

5. Kew Gardens has a long history dating back centuries

Dome-shaped greenhouse in Kew Gardens. Photo by Edward Howell/

Princess Augusta, the mother of King George III, established a botanic garden in 1759. The nine-acre garden was later transferred by the Crown to the government and opened to the public.

There are a number of historical events in the history of the garden. These include the 1913 attack on the glasshouse by Suffragettes who also burned down Kew’s team pavilion.

The garden also grew medicinal plants and vegetables to support the war in 1939. In 2009, during the garden’s 250th anniversary, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip visited the garden to commemorate the milestone.

6. The Princess of Wales Conservatory has a range of climate zones

Temperate House in Kew Gardens. Photo by LizzieVar/

As you walk through the Princess of Wales Conservatory, you will experience ten different computer-controlled climate zones. These ecosystems include the dry topics with the succulents and cacti, as well as the wet zone with the water-changing lilies.

7. From the Pagoda, you can enjoy a bird’s eye view of London

Kew Gardens Temperate House from the Pagoda. The Temperate House built from 1859 was designed by Decimus Burton. It was the largest glasshouse in the world and is still the largest Victorian one. Photo by David Hawgood/

You can enjoy a view of London from Kew’s Pagoda. A gift for Princess Augusta in 1762, the pagoda was designed by Sir William Chambers. Chambers had traveled and studied East Asian architecture.

The pagoda had suffered damage during the Second World War. British soldiers dug out the floors to test bombs in secret.  The restorations that took place in 2018 included the return of the 80 dragons.

The dragons which adorned the roofs were said to have been removed and sold to settle gambling debts accrued by George IV’.

8. Kew Gardens has one of the oldest and largest rock gardens in the world

Davies Alpine House at Kew Gardens. Photo by Daniel Case/

The rock garden comprises life from six different mountainous regions in the world. These regions include the southern Alps of Victoria, Australia and the peaks of New Zealand, and the European Alps and Pyrenees.

It also includes the Mediterranean scrub and South African bergs and kloofs and North American high alpine, prairies, and bogs. It also includes the Central Asian steppe and Himalayan mountain streams and meadows as well as Windswept Patagonia.

Originally built in 1882, more than 70 percent of the plants were from seeds collected in the wild.

9. During your visit, you can experience life inside a beehive

At a height of 17 meters, the Kew hive creates life inside a beehive. It was designed by Wolfgang Buttress, a UK-based artist. The one thousand LED lights in the hive glow according to the bees’ vibrations.

The background musical symphony is in the C key which is the key in which bees buzz. To emphasize the environment that bees need to thrive, the hive is surrounded by wildflowers.   

10. The paddock was once home to England’s first kangaroos

The Tea House at Kew Gardens after the arson attack by Lenton and Wharry. Photo by

On the opposite edge of the gardens is Queen Charlotte’s Cottage. Adjoining the cottage is a paddock that was once home to a pair of black swans and the now-extinct quagga. A quagga is an animal similar to a zebra but with stripes only near its head. The paddock was also home to England’s first kangaroos.

During the Kew Garden’s 250^th celebration in 2009, a commemorative 50 pence was released by the Royal Mint. Instead of producing coins in millions, the Mint realized only 210,000 Kew coins. The value of the coins soared and sold for more than 100 times their actual monetary value.