Kew Gardens is home to more than 14,000 spectacular trees, of all shapes, sizes, species and ages.
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Among its 300 acres of expertly tended grounds, Kew boasts several key attractions. The Arboretum is a living library of more than 14,000 trees, representing more than 2,000 species.
The maidenhair tree is one of the oldest living tree species in the world. Known as a 'living fossil', it is the sole survivor of an ancient group of trees that outlived the dinosaurs.
In 1895, John Medley Wood discovered a cluster of peculiar Encephalartos Woodii on the fringe of the oNgoye Forest in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A basal offset of the male dioecious tree was sent to Kew Gardens in London, England.
The name Kew, recorded in 1327 as Cayho, is a combination of two words: the Old French kai (landing place; quay derives from this) and Old English hoh (spur of land). The land spur is formed by the bend in the Thames.
The Nymphaea thermarum was discovered in 1987 by German botanist Eberhard Fischer at a thermal freshwater spring in Mashyuza, Rwanda -- the only known location in the wild.
RBG Kew currently employs nearly over 1,000 staff across our teams, including RBG Kew Enterprises, our commercial subsidiary. Our experts comprise of over 400 scientists and over 150 horticulturists.
With over 8.5 million items, we house the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world. They represent approximately 95% of vascular plant genera and 60% of known fungal genera. Here is a guide to the different types of collection we hold.
Tree climbingSuitable for ages 6 years +. All children must be accompanied by an adult for this activity. Tree climbing for accompanying adult is optional.
Its royal occupation lasted from around 1728 until 1818, with a final short-lived occupation in 1844. The Dutch House is Grade I listed, and open to visitors. It is cared for by an independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces, which receives no funding from the government or the Crown.
Treasured treesHeritage trees: Some of our oldest trees date back to the 18th century and include the Japanese pagoda tree (Styphnolobium japonicum), the Lucombe oak (Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana'), and the black locust tree (Robinia pseudoacacia).
Our gardens date back to the early 18th century, as a royal palace to today's globally renowned scientific institution for plant and fungal research. 1759: Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, founds a nine-acre botanic garden within the pleasure grounds at Kew.