Created in 1759 by Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, the mother of King George III, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in southwest London, on the banks of the River Thames, is one of the largest botanical gardens in the world. world, classified as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Since its inception Kew Gardens - the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - has remained true to its original purpose with botanists collecting specimens and exchanging knowledge internationally.

Around 30,000 species of plants are cultivated there over 130 hectares and a herbarium of more than seven million specimens is preserved there.

Around forty buildings are located in the gardens, including numerous greenhouses.
Notably the iconic Palm House , the first of its kind, and Temperate House, the largest surviving Victorian greenhouse in the world.
These two vast greenhouses with glass roofs and metal frames have served as models for winter gardens around the world.
Just next to Palm House is the small square Waterlily House , the second oldest of Kew's greenhouses, specially designed to house the giant Amazon water lily.

Our visit, in September, focused on these three greenhouses.

Palm House

Built in the 1840s, Palm House is the oldest greenhouse at Kew Gardens. It recreates a tropical forest climate.
Palm House was built to accommodate tropical plants brought back by explorers of the time.
This large wrought iron greenhouse measures 110 m long and 30 m wide and shelters lush vegetation (sugar cane Saccharum officinarum , Coffea coffee tree, false pepper tree Piper nigrum , cocoa tree Theobroma cacao ...) of which you can have a view of together while climbing the superb spiral staircases.

Temperate House

The largest greenhouse at Kew Gardens, Temperate House - the temperate greenhouse - built in 1863, is also the largest surviving Victorian greenhouse in the world.
Twice the size of Palm House, it is made up of five buildings: two wings are attached to the central greenhouse.
The greenhouse is home to some of the rarest and most endangered plants in the world. It underwent a lengthy restoration and reopened its doors to the public in 2018.

Water Lily House

Completed in 1852 Waterlily House - the water lily greenhouse - is the second oldest greenhouse at Kew Gardens.

This small square greenhouse was designed to accommodate the giant Amazonian water lily Victoria amazonica . It houses a circular pond 10 meters in diameter.
A magical place. It's impossible to visit all of Kew Gardens in a single day, but the prospect of returning to continue the visit is extremely pleasing!