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The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are extensive gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond upon Thames and Kew in southwest London.
They originated in the exotic garden at Kew House formed by Lord Capel of Tewkesbury, enlarged and greatly extended by Princess Augusta, the widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales, for whom Sir William Chambers erected several garden structures, of which the lofty Chinese pagoda erected in 1761 remains. George III enriched the gardens, aided by the skill of William Aiton and of Sir Joseph Banks. The old Kew House was demolished in 1802. The "Dutch House" adjoining was purchased by George III in 1781 as a nursery for the royal children. It is a plain brick structure now known as Kew Palace.
In 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden. Under Kew's new director, William Hooker, the gardens were increased to 30 ha (75 acres), and the pleasure grounds, or arboretum, extended to 109 ha (270 acres), and later to its current size of 121 ha. There are extensive conservatories, the herbariumIn Botany, a herbarium is a collection of preserved plants or plant parts, mainly in a dried form. These specimens are often used as the reference material to define a plant taxon; they contain the holotypes for these plants. A herbarium can also be a bui, and a library.
The Palm House was built by architect Decimus BurtonDecimus Burton ( 30 September 1800-December 1881) was a prolific English architect and garden designer, particularly associated with projects in the classical style in London parks, including buildings at Kew Gardens and London Zoo, and with the layout an and iron-maker Richard TurnerSee: Richard Ernest Turner (Canadian soldier) Richard Turner (iron-founder). between 18411841 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 26 The United Kingdom occupies Hong Kong. Later during the year, the first census of the island recorded a population of about 7,500. February 18 The first ongoing f and 1849Events January 23 Elizabeth Blackwell is awarded her MD by the Medical Institute of Geneva, New York, thus becoming the United States' first woman doctor January 31 Corn Laws abolished in the United Kingdom February 14 In New York City, James Knox Polk be, and was the first large-scale structural use of wrought ironWrought iron is a very pure form of commercial iron, having a very small carbon content. It is tough, malleable, ductile and can be easily welded. However, it is too soft to make blades from; steel, with a carbon content between wrought and the high-carbo.
The Tropical House is the largest surviving VictorianThe term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of architectural styles during the Victorian era: Neoclassicism Gothic Revival Italianate Second Empire Neo-Grec Romanesque Revival (Includes Richardsonian Revival) Renaissance Revival Queen Ann greenhouse in existence.
Despite often unfavourable growing conditions (atmospheric pollutionLachine Canal, in Montreal, is badly polluted Pollution is the release of harmful environmental contaminants, or the substances so released. Generally the process needs to result from human activity to be regarded as pollution. Even relatively benign prod from London, dry soils and low rainfall) it remains one of the most comprehensive plant collections in Britain. In an attempt to expand the collections away from these unfavourable conditions, Kew has established two out-stations, at Wakehurst Place in Sussex, and (jointly with the Forestry Commission) Bedgebury Pinetum in Kent, the latter specialising in growing conifers.
Kew was the location of the successful effort in the 19th century to propagate rubber trees for cultivation outside South America.
Kew is important as a repository of seeds; it has one of the most important seedbanks. With the Harvard University Herbaria, and the Australian National Herbarium, they cooperate in the IPNI database to produce an authoritative source of information on the nomenclature of plants.
In July 2003, the gardens were put on the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Members of the public are admitted to the gardens, although there is an entrance fee. The nearest combined rail and London Underground station is Kew Gardens station ( District Line and Silverlink). Kew Bridge station , to the north of the gardens, is within easy walking distance.
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