London is one of the prettiest cities in the world with enough trees to make it technically a forest! There is even more beauty just outside the main tourist center at the beautiful Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. It’s an easy train or cab ride away and gives you a taste of English country life.
History
Kew Gardens is located in the little town of Richmond (of Ted Lasso fame!) where a royal palace was built in 1299. Richmond would eventually be the home of Henry VII, and many of his courtiers lived in Kew.
King George III and Queen Charlotte made Kew Palace one of their homes, spending much time here with their fifteen children. This is where King George received treatment for his mental illness and is where Queen Charlotte passed away. Two of their sons were married in the home, and one would go on to be the father of Queen Victoria.
The royal botanical gardens were created at the end of the 18th century and became the national botanical garden in 1840. Several homes were built for exotic plants around this time period, including the Temperate house which is the largest Victorian glass house in existence.
In 1913, suffragettes burned down the Kew tea house as a protest against denying women the vote. During WWI, women were brought in as gardeners to replace the men who left for war and part of the space was turned into vegetable gardens to help with food shortages. In WWII, Kew took part in a “Dig for Victory” campaign where a ‘model’ allotment was used to demonstrate the cultivation of vegetables to visitors. Kew was also bombed by the German planes, and its Great Pagoda also had a role to play in the Allied warfare tactics with the testing of smoke curtain installations.
Kew Gardens is a beautiful respite from the harried London streets and is a wonderful half-day trip that will take you back to nature.
Visit
Kew Gardens is southwest of London, near Hampton Court Palace and Heathrow Airport. It’s an easy trip from the city of London via Tube, train, boat, or taxi. The main entrance is the Victoria Gate (about a .5 mile walk from the Tube). We used the Lion Gate as our entrance as we were coming from Richmond.
Don’t forget to request a children’s backpack for your kids to use while exploring (contact them 5 days in advance)! Also check on the fun children’s events taking place during your visit and take a ride on the Kew train! Kids love it.
Highlights
The most historic part of the park is Kew Palace, the home of King George III and Queen Charlotte. This house was part of their sad history as the king underwent treatment for his mental illness here. The king lived entirely on the ground floor with Queen Charlotte and his daughters sequestered upstairs. They were only allowed to see him when his doctors’ permitted. Entrance is free but is controlled to prevent crowds in the small spaces.
You’ll see the king’s library where you can view his flute.
The line up of all of their fifteen children really makes an impression!
They still had dinner together every night while he was undergoing treatment.
Queen Charlotte and four of their daughters lived upstairs and spent time in these rooms.
At least they had a beautiful view of the gardens (with the River Thames just beyond).
In the queen’s drawing room on July 11, 1818, two of her sons married their princesses in a double wedding. One of the sons, Prince Edward, would become the father of the future Queen Victoria. The weddings were held in this room because Queen Charlotte was too ill to leave the home.
She died later that year in this room in this very chair!
Bridgerton fans may recognize this portrait of Queen Charlotte. Check out the wig from the show displayed with it!
Be sure to walk in the Queen’s Gardens before leaving.
On the other side of Kew is Queen Charlotte’s cottage where she had exotic animals like kangaroos! It’s open to the public.
The Palm house takes you inside a rainforest. Its tropical climate will wreak havoc on your hair but is so interesting!
This is a must-see place! The huge water lilies are unreal in their beauty!
This large Victorian glass structure is so beautiful. You can even walk along the top!
Kids and adults alike will enjoy this short stroll through the treetops. You can even see London’s skyscrapers in the distance! Note the elevator is currently out of order so be ready to trudge up lots of stairs!
Lake walk and Minka House/Bamboo Garden
Walk across the beautiful lake to a traditional Japanese home with a bamboo forest nearby. It’s so peaceful!
You can climb to the top of this tall pagoda built in 1762. It can be seen from many parts of the garden and has its own beautiful pagoda vista walk.
Don’t miss this fun place for kids to play! It’s also near the family kitchen and shop that has kid-friendly meals and souvenirs.
There are so many walks and places to visit that you can’t do it all in one trip. Be sure to consult this map to plan your best itinerary!
If you’re a fan of Ted Lasso or just want to see a cute English town, walk to the town center of Richmond (20 minute walk). You’ll recognize it from the show, and you can even eat in the pub!
Kew Gardens is a peaceful respite from the craziness of London. Be sure to make time for it on your next trip!
Helpful hints:
- Cost: £25/adults; £5/child; tickets can be purchased online (where you’ll save a few pounds) or at the gate.
- Recommended: all ages
- Tour time: 3-4 hours
- Gift shops are located in several places throughout the park. The largest is at the Victoria gate. You can also shop online.
- Transportation: Kew is located southwest of London. It is accessible via the Tube, train, or boat. Taxis/Ubers from London are plentiful (just be sure to have a way to call one when you want to leave). Limited parking is available. Check out the recommended modes of transportation here.
- Dining options: There are several places to eat at Kew, and the food is quite good! We had a delicious meal in the garden at the Pavilion Bar and Grill near the Lion gate. We also had a drink from The Organgery, which is just beautiful. The Family Kitchen has pizza and ice cream for kids, and there are two restaurants near the Victoria gate. If you want to go outside of Kew, this cute tea house is across the street.
- Nearby hotels: Kew can be easily reached from London so check out my London guide for my recommendations. The closest hotel is the Kew Gardens Hotel.
- Nearby attractions include: St. Anne’s Church, Richmond (where you can take a Ted Lasso tour!), Richmond Park, and Hampton Court Palace
Books to Read:
All links are Amazon affiliate links. Be sure to check out my Bookshop.org shop for even more recommendations. You can shop directly with Kew for even more books!
Adults/Young Adults:
- Nonfiction:
- The Story of Kew Gardens in Photographs
- Kew: The Apothecary’s Garden: The science and mythology of medicinal plants
- Kew – Fragrance: From plant to perfume, the botanical origins of scent
- The Kew Gardens Christmas Book
- Royal Gardens of the World: 21 Celebrated Gardens from the Alhambra to Highgrove and Beyond
- Fiction
- Kew Gardens by Virginia Woolf
- The Kew Garden Girls
- The Kew Gardens Girls at War
- Death in Kew Gardens
Middle Grade:
Picture Books:
