A Historical Celebration of Kew Gardens
Celebrate 250 Years of History of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Jan 19, 2009
Kew Gardens, or the Royal Botanical Gardens, of Britain's London had an early history of royal patronage and significant influence from famous botanists such as Joseph Banks. Today's 300 acre gardens grew from plant specimens collected from worldwide plant hunting expeditions of the 18th century. A vast collection of orchids, bromeliads, trees, wildflowers and other tropical plants are now housed in Kew's many greenhouses.
Early history saw Kew Gardens enjoy a favorable royal patronage through King Henry VII, Princess Augusta and King George III; through the establishment of Richmond Palace near Kew and the appointment of William Aiton by Princess Augusta to manage Kew's first botanic garden, Kew rapidly gained public recognition. King George III worked with Joseph Banks to create international recognition for Kew's botanical specimens. However, Kew was soon to fall into decline.
The Decline of the Royal Botanic Gardens
Following the death of King George III and Joseph Banks, both in close proximity, Kew Gardens began to decline through neglect; King George IV directed William Townsend Aiton (son of William Aiton and now Kew's gardener) to redesign other Royal gardens such as Buckingham Palace. By 1831, Kew's foreign collectors had withdrawn and no new plant specimens were actively collected.
The Revival of Kew Gardens: William and Joseph Hooker
In 1841, Kew Gardens appointed the first of two new directors who had considerable influence on the revival of the botanic gardens. William Hooker was responsible for the founding of the Herbarium and the Palm House. In 1865, Joseph Hooker, William's son, took over as Kew's director and restructured the National Arboretum, built the Temperate House, opened up greater public access to the gardens and re-established the colonial links created by Joseph Banks. Queen Victoria gave her Royal patronage, reviving Kew's popularity.
Kew Gardens Today
During the 20th century, Kew Gardens endured the Boer war, two world wars and a socially and economically difficult time for Britain; the survival of Kew Gardens relied on grants and gifts, until new funds became available. World conservation issues became prominent and the work and conservation of Kew Gardens have become popular with today's conservation ethics. In January 2002, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens became a World Heritage Site.
Kew's mission today is to increase knowledge and understanding of the plant and fungal kingdoms through a variety of projects including research into ethnobotany and horticulture, public education, sustainable use of plant resources and by training scientists from developing countries. In 2009, Kew Gardens will host a number of events which will enable Kew to protect the future of the world's plants.
Historical Celebration of Kew Gardens
Throughout 2009, Kew Royal Botanic Gardens will host the following events:
- Tropical Extravaganza – from February 7 to March 8 2009 the Princess of Wales conservatory will be filled with orchids, bromeliads and anthuriums; the exhibition will celebrate Britain's greatest botanists including Charles Darwin
- Kew's 250th Spring – in March through April, a Spring celebration of over five million bulbs will be on display, including crocus, daffodil and snowdrop
- Kew's 250th Summer – in May through September, there will be many Summer flowers on display; Kew's Global Garden and Map will be the highlight of this event
- Kew's 250th Walking Tours – daily walking tours will be available throughout the year amongst Kew Gardens.
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