Kew Gardens: Rare Plant Species, Incredible Exhibitions, Gardens, & Palace

What your day looks like

Explore the botanical beauty of Kew Gardens, London's largest UNESCO World Heritage site, and home to thousands of rare plant species, incredible exhibitions, immaculate gardens, and Britain's smallest royal palace. Arboretum A journey inside this unique collection is a chance to experience the beauty and diversity of forests around the globe. Stretching across two-thirds of the Gardens, the Arboretum surrounds our glasshouses in a leafy enclave for you to walk, wand, e,r and discover. The 14,000 trees rooted here represent more than 2,000 species, including rare and ancient varieties. This great collection contains trees as old as the Gardens themselves, many that cannot be found anywhere else in Britain. Princess of Wales Conservatory With ten computer-controlled climate zones, the Princess of Wales Conservatory is a glassy labyrinth leading you through a series of fascinating ecosystems. There’s a new surprise at every corner of this winding glasshouse. Take in spiky cacti and succulents as you travel through the dry tropics and emerge into the dense, steamy zones where tropical orchids and bright bromeliads come alive. Treetop Walkway The most compelling tree-top experience in the UK - Kew's Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway takes you under the ground and then metersres (59ft) up in the air, bringing you close to trees in a way that will take your breath away. Queen's Garden The 17th-century gardens behind Kew Palace are guaranteed to restore flagging spirits, as the plants you'll find here were mainly cultivated for their medicinal properties. Take a stroll around and discover many herbal varieties that we still use to this day. In the summer you'll also find a host of aromatic plants from the Mediterranean region, including lavender, sage, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Bamboo Garden This is home to the UK's largest collection of bamboos, which range from the well-known lofty pole varieties to wispy, variegated species. Dominating the garden is the Minka House, an authentic Japanese farm dwelling dating from the early 1900s and reconstructed at Kew Gardens. The Children's Garden Based in a natural setting the size of 40 tennis courts, children can explore all the things plants need to grow in our Children's Garden, designed for children from 2 to 12 years old. Over 100 mature trees are spread over this beautiful landscape, with hidden treasures and adventures around every corner, leading to a 4m high canopy walk wrapped around a 200-year-old oak in the heart of the Children's Garden. Kew Palace Explore the beautiful Kew Palace and uncover its intriguing stories, from its origins as a rich merchant's house to the royal home of George III and members of his family. Highlights include George III's daughters' doll's house and an extraordinary Jigsaw cabinet containing some of the earliest jigsaw maps in existence - used to teach geography to the royal children. When open, Kew Gardens visitors can visit Kew Palace at no extra charge.