Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Visited during bank holiday! Perfect weather! Blazing hot sun but that’s fine as there’s loads of places to find and hitch under shade. The park is well kept and looks fantastic. We must’ve walked around for 5-6 hours. The park is really amazing. I took a trolley with me loaded with blankets and food and stuff which was great as there’s no restrictions on that. The family and kids loved the day out here definitely will be back for Christmas lights!

We've been wanting to visit for a while. We arrived at 9.40 for 10.00 open time. Not too busy at this time. We thought it would be a good 3 -4 hours. How wrong we were. We were there for 10 hours and we still didn't get to see everything. What an absolutely amazing place! Plants, flowers and exhibitions all over the park. Things to do for everyone adults and children. The Palm House is totally breathtaking. The pond lily house is stunning. It has a lovely little land train that takes you on a circuit around the grounds, definitely worth the cost of £6.50 an adult. Some great places to stop and eat, and lots of seating if you want to take you're own food. I think you really need 2 days to get the best out of it. We are definitely going to visit again, I think you need to do Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter seasons. If you want the best, Spring and Summer are better.

I absolutely loved our visit to Kew Gardens. It’s beautifully maintained and there is so much to see. We bought tickets online on the way to the park and were scanned in upon entry. There are multiple options for food and souvenirs, and the park is incredibly accessible. I could have spent so much longer. Only down side is the greenhouses get even hotter than usual on a hot summer day - so glad we came for opening!

Stunning world-class gardens. Really enjoyed my time there. Went first weekend in August and was very busy but because it's so big it's easy to find quiet spaces away from the crowds. The staff at the front gate were so friendly too. Some things to note: - If you're under 30 go for the youth ticket like I did. Even though it's a great garden it's far too expensive at full price, so it was great to be able to get it at £10. You do need to show ID though - Bring food and water. There's plenty of places to sit and eat, and places to fill a water bottle. There's food there but overpriced as is all tourist attractions. - Go when it opens (10am most days). I didn't realise that a lot of the buildings close at 5pm, my bad for not reading the info, and I arrived at 2pm so I was rushing trying to see everything in time. Would be nice for them to keep them open until at least 6pm. - Don't chase the geese/wildlife (not a tip, but don't do it or let your kids do it like I saw today)

Beautiful gardens and woodland in this oasis within London. Such a beautiful peaceful place, listening to the birds singing whilst sitting in the gardens was lovely. The large greenhouses were full of tropical plants from around the globe. You can scan the QR code in the woodland and sit in the tree's and do a meditation or take a picnic and sit with a view of Queen Charlotte's cottage. Kew Palace was small but great. Plenty of rest rooms and cafés/restaurants Great service from entry to exit. We only had 4 hour's there but could have easily spent the day there. A hidden gem, definitely worth a visit.

Kew Gardens is absolutely beautiful. We went to visit end of May, and everything was green and blooming. Everyone who works there does a fantastic job. I love gardens and this was beyond my expectations. Highly recommend to visit. I look forward to visiting again in the future.

I took the little train inside Kew Gardens today, it’s £6.50, last 45 mins and is well worth it. There’s no way I would have walked that far on a hot summers day. Highly recommend it. Takes you around the whole place and a lovely soothing voice explains the history of the place.

This was well worth the visit, there are well kept gardens with huge trees. I especially enjoyed the tall walkway in the tree line. There are lakes and nice places to eat. The glass houses have a lot of different plants, they close at 5pm on the day I visited. The flight path for Heathrow is directly overhead. I am an aviation enthusiast so this was a real treat for me. If you don't like aircraft I can imagine it could be annoying. The garden is walking distance from the nearby train station. Or you can take a bus.

Pretty overrated hard-to-get-to "garden". Definitely go if you want to see the pretty buildings, but the gardens are equally nice in Regent Park with no admission fee or transport hassle. Transport was a nightmare with tube lines closed / significantly delayed. Wound up taking an uber there and to get back took the tube 1 stop, walked 20 minutes to a different stop on a different line and continued from there. Ugh. Grounds are nice and expanse with some cool sculptures. Pagoda is cool but imo not worth the £4.50 to climb up. Was surprised by the lack of things flowering (July) as it felt like in all the greenhouses it was mostly leaves to look at. Big, inconvenient and ultimately average.

Got the ticket last min and found out they do close quite early, if you plan to visit, try to go before noon so you get enough time visiting the whole garden.

Had the opportunity to check out Christmas at Kew while in London . This light show was spectacular. There was a long line once I arrived at my ticketed time, but the line moved rather quickly. Once inside you move at your own pace and follow the trail. There are also multiple vendors to purchase food and drinks from. It was very cold so they even had a marshmallow pit to warm up. I really enjoyed myself and would definitely recommend this activity of you're visiting London. I did purchase tickets online about a month prior to me visiting. Dress for the weather and enjoy.

If you have the opportunity to visit Kew Gardens, it will not disappoint! Beautiful botanical gardens with several green houses, a fancy restaurant, and acres and acres of walking trails. Tickets are inexpensive if purchased in advance. I went through a third party website and it cost $14 USD. I visited in the afternoon this past December. The weather was gorgeous, and they were testing lights for the light show. I wish I would have had much more time to explore - I did get lost on the way from the train station and that wasted a good chunk of time.... Google Maps failed me :( For an ecology/nature nerd like me, Kew can be an all day excursion. There is also a lot to see and do in Richmond itself. I plan on revisiting during a spring/summer trip; I can only imagine how magnificent this wonderful space is when plants and flowers are in bloom.

A beautiful garden near the surrounds of central London. It's less than an hour on the train from SoHo and a great place to spend the day seeing the beauty London has to offer. It's very large and consistent of its own green house and pond. There's also a church, bonsai garden, temple, observatory and more to see.

Christmas at Kew. Fabulous light installations everywhere. There are 3 gates to enter for this DIY walking tour at night. Victoria gate entrance sold out. We booked entry thru Elizabeth gates. From there we walked thru the garden for about 2.5 hours. Absolutely beautiful. They put in a lot of work installing all the lights. Some even choreographed to music. I am so happy my young daughters enjoyed it start to finish. There are stopping points to use the toilets or grab warm drinks and food. It was crowded but manageable. Come bundled in layers and be prepared to walk. So comfy shoes are a must. The holiday dinner can only be purchased w tickets from the 1st entry gate. Victoria gates. I recommend this garden during Christmas light show !!!

Even though I went to Kew Gardens during three nastiest of storms (they even closed the place early!), I had a wonderful time. Lots of history, regality, and Bluey to be had. You can spend your entire day here if you want!

I have heard about Kew gardens all my life and have finally decided to visit and spend a whole day there. Getting there was easy via tube. After getting out of Kew Gardens tube, a straight walk up the road literally takes you to the entrance. Tickets cost 24 pounds and includes a donation. I heard online tickets are a little cheaper if bought a couple of days earlier. Everything is worth visiting and each area of interest takes a little bit of walking, so comfortable shoes are a must. You will get a free map bc this place is huge. I walked clockwise around the park and tried to hit all the areas. Bear in mind, last entrance for most places are 5 pm. The following are my favorite must sees when in the park. The Tree Tops - 100 steps to the top and yes, I counted them. Great views and worth the trek. Elevator is also available. The Palm house, Princess of wales and the Temperate are a must see regarding various plants from around the world. The water lily house had the most beautiful Lillies. I also enjoyed bird watching, with plenty of geese, ducks and swans to ponder with. The trees in this park were magnificent and they all have names on the trunk. Definitely check out the Indian horse chestnut tree blooming with pink flowers and underneath a lovely thick magical carpet of pink. This tree is located in front of the Nash conservatory. There's also a mini hop on hop off train that goes around the park for 6.50. There were plenty of benches and areas to bring a picnic lunch. A very family friendly park, with plenty of toilets at the east side of the park. At the end of the day, I grabbed a quick bite of sandwiches and tea at the cafeteria which also had a lovely gift show and loads of beautiful plants for sale too. This is wonderful and much loved park, definitely worth a visit and ponder at your leisure.

I had been meaning to come here ever since I bought a London Underground poster that highlighted Kew Gardens as a tube destination. I won't tell you how many years ago that was, but it did a good job covering a big water stain on the wall of my dorm room. Yes, we're talking about quite a few rings around my trunk. And now finally I made it here with Jamie W., and it was less than an hour on one tube line (District). Then it was a quick stroll to the main entrance at Victoria Gate. Admission was just £15 ($17.75 US) - which struck us as quite a bargain since as I expected, we were overwhelmed by the scale of the gardens. We were also overwhelmed by the wearying 87-degree July weather, and it became a battle over the survival of the coolest. Consequently we didn't stay as long as we would have on a reasonably fair day. That meant we didn't get to features like the treetop walkway or the Japanese garden - but luckily we're from Northern California, so we've seen our share of such features. On the other hand, we hit the main attractions, most obviously the flagship Palm House built with traditional wrought iron arches (photo: https://bit.ly/3R45bg9). Its 62-foot nave accommodated a catwalk which provided a uniquely elevated view of all the tropical foliage. Twice as big as the Palm was the Temperate House which has recently been restored and much more space for random wandering (photo: https://bit.ly/3PF37dC). We also took in the Waterlily House with dozens of huge lily pads (photo: https://bit.ly/3QOlf6f) and the Princess of Wales Conservatory which housed a lot of cacti and orchids in a uniquely angular building (photo: https://bit.ly/3R4Zlez). We toured the Kew Palace, apparently the smallest of the royal palaces, which has been refurbished in the past decade (photo: https://bit.ly/3AgBPVm). It was flanked by the Queen's Garden in the back and a gazebo which provides a nice photo op. Toward the end of our visit, we made it to the 164-foot Great Pagoda (photo: https://bit.ly/3dUFqRq). We didn't climb any steps but rather just gazed at it from a bench that actually had shade. Kew Gardens is a true institution, and the expansive grounds only mean a return visit is inevitable. Hopefully the weather will cooperate next time. RELATED - Exploring London? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3zFACrx

Wow! Just wow! What can you say, except maybe prepared to spend a couple of days exploring this amazing Gardens and exhibits! So many things to see I think it's very difficult to get it all done in one visit. The information ladies at the Victory gate were beyond friendly and so very helpful. We were totally confused by trying to figure out if we needed to pay the Londons emission charges, they assured us no after reviewing the map, we're not entirely sure but will argue you it if we get a letter in the mail! Anyways, back to Kew... highly recommended the tours, especially the one by "train" very lovely and informative! The greenhouses are spectacular all in all, even without all the amazing plants! Plenty of facilities around the gardens and things to entertain the children! Highly recommended!

I came here as I was staying in nearby Richmond and could not have imagined how much I enjoyed my time here. This place is absolutely massive - almost mind boggling. I was here for an afternoon and didn't cover everything as I was taking my time, but if you really rush you could probably see it all in 5 hours or so. Pack your walking shoes - you will cover a lot of ground here! I have never seen so many beautiful plant examples, landscaped gardens, art exhibits, and maintained grass areas all under one area. Some highlights, to me, are the greenhouses, the pagoda, and the main entrance area lake.

An enchanting location providing an exquisite experience to revel in the splendor of various botanical wonders.

The place is outstanding, the people and service, much much less so. If you like the rude arrogant snobbish British treatment we make fun of here in the States, then this is the place for you. We could see no reason for it so it seems to be a culture from the leadership down. And what a pity that is. Despite that, it's a world class place and worth the visit.

This review is about Kew Gardens Christmas lights. Having been to Kew Gardens in daylight and seen the vast array of flowers and plants I was keen to see how they dress the gardens with lights. Entry is as usual via which ever gate you arrive at, but you must have booked before hand! The path you follow is clear so no one should get lost in the dark. There were plenty of stewards at points where you might stray! There are plenty of little bits dotted around the walk so you can get mulled wine, hot chocolate to name a few. The cafe area is also open giving you somewhere to have a break in the warm if, as it was for me, raining!! The experience was a good one even with the weather being against me I would say it is a pricy evening so you've been warned!

I grew up in London and never went to this place in recent memory - I strongly regret that, because this place was truly fantastic. One of my new favorite places in London. Absolutely lives up to the hype. No agenda, just walking around!

I'm not sure that Kew really lives up to its hype, or is worth its high ticket price. I don't mean that it isn't nice, because it is. But London has so many beautiful parks and gardens, that you can visit whenever you feel like, without having to buy a ticket! I didn't feel that Kew was any nicer than many of London's free parks and gardens. I also didn't find it superior to botanical gardens I've visited in other countries. Even the famous conservatory was larger, but not better, than San Francisco's. I did enjoy Kew Palace and its adjoining, Queen Charlotte's Garden. That was the highlight for me.

Unbelievably beautiful and diverse plants are found throughout the hundreds of acres that make up Kew Gardens. I could have spent days exploring the gardens and still not have seen everything. My favorite part was the Waterlily House. It was raining on the day I visited, so this was a welcome respite from the rain. There is a walkway around a circular pond filled with a variety of lilies of different colors. It was such a lovely view...not matter what place on the walkway I was. I was surprised at the number of buildings on site that housed plants, an art gallery, cafe and gift shop, and what was once a home for royalty. The tram ride was a great introduction and overview of Kew Gardens. It shows the immensity of the property and places where the tram stops so visitors can explore different areas of the gardens without having to walk such long distances. Someday I hope to go back to Kew Gardens and explore the areas that I didn't have a chance to visit.

This is my second time visiting, but I wish I could spend a couple days walking through the trees, many of the specimens are very impressive! The Princess of Wales conservatory was especially nice this time with lots of plants in flower, and the specimens seeming more established since my last visit. The tree top walkway was fun, though I was constantly aware of how far off of the ground I was! The Palm House was great, though it felt like 90 degrees F and 100% humidity. The Alpine House was pretty cool, and the rock garden around it was a lot of fun to explore. It would be difficult to take in everything in a single day.

Kee Gardens is a lovely botanic gardens with a ton to see and explore. It has a vast array of wide fields, forested areas, manicured flower gardens, greenhouses, unique architecture, kids activities, and more. Come prepared to walk a lot. You can easily spend a couple hours and clock multiple miles visiting all the sections of the gardens. It's quite spread out and not for the faint of heart! It's a bit pricey, so it's not the kind of park to visit every day, unfortunately. But it's nice for a special visit!

So much to see and they always have some sort of event and exhibition to see. I've seen Dale Chihuly twice there. I'd love to see them have another Henry Moore exhibition. Christmas at Kew is well worth the cost (and the difficulty in getting the tickets and subsequent tricky parking).

If someone had told me I'd go all 5-star in for Kew Gardens I'd have bet them the opposite. I've never been to a botanical garden that excited me in any way. Nice, yes, but continually exciting and inspirational? No. Kew Gardens is exciting and inspirational and in a different league entirely than every botanical garden I've ever before been to. Several hours in, at which point I'd not even seen half the place, I had to leave. I did so saying "if I lived here I'd become a member and be here all of the time". There's no escaping the wow factor. I hadn't been inside one of the big conservatories/greenhouses for long when one of many school groups arrived. I listened as their instructor told them to get up so close to the plants that the photos they took wouldn't even read as plants. I followed suit. Hundreds of photos later I had to willfully extract myself from this building. I could've stayed in there all day. Outside the conservatory, the grounds stun. During my visit they had Dale Chihuly sculptures placed artfully in the gardens and in various buildings. I've never been all in on what I think of Chihuly but here I can say I got it. This is the optimal setting for all of his works. Whether or not you think you like botanical gardens make time for a visit to Kew Gardens. It's a day in nature, fascinating, and drop-dead gorgeous. Having been to botanical gardens from San Francisco to Brazil, I feel comfortable proclaiming Kew Gardens the world's best.

This is very large London park that has many (and sometimes old) specimen's of a great number of plants and trees. I generally am not a botany or horticulture fan but the park was phenomenal. I spent only a few hours there and felt like I hadn't began to see everything. They have a large children's playground area that has many activities for children including slides and climbing nets. There are several buildings that offer food and drink. The palm house has a extreme collection of tropical plants from around the world including banana, mango, and coffee. The house is large and high but many plants are the verge of outgrowing the house. There were many old trees including several sequoias; they were large and tall but not as tall as those in California. They have a tree walk that is an elevated circular walkway among the tree tops. I was fascinated.

First of all this is such a vast space that it's more accurate to look at ratings for the individual attractions within. However, as an overall entity, Kew Gardens is a delightful day. It's great for families, couples and solo visits. Greenhouses with super interesting plays like cacti and Venus fly traps are great. The Great Pagoda is stunning, especially if you're lucky enough to get a blue sky backdrop. The tree-top walk is really fun too. There's a really enjoyable kids playground called the Children's Garden that will wear your little ones out for a while. Change of clothes not a bad idea - especially in summer where there's lots of water play. Only downside worth mentioning is that it's bang in the middle of the flight path so serene, silent moments are frequently punctuated by awful noise from planes above. Definitely worth multiple visits.

Despite having visited London many times, it wasn't until yesterday that we finally visited Kew Gardens. Unsurprisingly, it was lovely. A special treat was the huge Dale Chihuly glass pieces exhibited in several locales. Our very favorite part of Kew Gardens was the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Not only is it *huge*, but it has the most extraordinary selection of cactus we've ever seen (not just the sizes, but the *colors*). I recommend purchasing tickets online because you get a small discount - and you can even do that on the day of your visit (which we did, since the issue of rain is a nearly-constant reality here).

We had planned to see Christmas at Kew Gardens in December but strikes and the Kew Garden tube station was forced to close and stop service on the day we planned to go. We had no warning when we tried to take the train. Despite having ticket protection (worthless), we were not able to attend and were denied any refund. Poor customer service. They and their ticketing agent (See Tickets) had NO desire to help us. Given the extraordinary circumstances, I would have thought they would have been kinder and more sympathetic to out-of-town customers. Be wary of buying any tickets for their events. Since this is how they treat customers, I hate to think how they screw the people who want to make a donation. Shame on you, Kew Gardens staff!

Kew Gardens - lovely, but I have a complaint about the refreshments. We couldn't book the Orangery/Brasserie because we weren't sure of the time of arrival and in the event, traffic was horrendous yesterday 26th May, so we would have been late. Next cafe was closed due to refurbishment. So we just had the cafe in the shop. The shop is fabulous but the choice of food was appalling! Dry tuna/cucumber sandwiches with no mayonnaise,[£7.50!!] plain cheese sandwiches with not a jot of pickle in sight and huge French bread sandwiches with grated cheese and sliced tomato and sausage rolls. Disgraceful for such a lovely place and the amount of people there! My friend and I were so disappointed that we hadn't stopped at pub nearby. I live in Wisley and food choice is far better.

My favorite park in London! Not free but 100% worth it. There is so much to do that it's hard to fit it all in 1 day, but nothing you see will disappoint you! Some of the greenhouses were a little busy, but not too bad. There are multiple cafes and shops. I highly recommend the temperate and tropical greenhouses.

Amazing Gardens! Don't let the low ratings (anything under five stars is too low... :-)) here lead you to believe Kew Gardens is anything short of amazing. We spent an afternoon in May, and were impressed with how beautiful and well-maintained the gardens are.

240 american acres of lawns, wild gardens, Glass greenhouses, composed artistic gardens, Chilully glass sculptures. Bambie & I walked most of the property yet did not see it all. And that took 7 hours. Expensive entrance fee of nearly 20 english pounds. Truly, now that I've seen it once I have no grand desire to ever return and I'm a garden hound.

Went for a very chilly visit here today. Even mid Winter, it's still full of beauty. No point in taking pictures as there are so many better online. The Tropical House with it's huge Banana Trees and heat and humidity was spectacular as always. As was the Orchid house. They have beautiful Christmas lights but unfortunately the show was sold out. This is a wonderland of Flora and not to be missed. Look at some of the online pictures to get an idea of how fragrant it is in summer.

The temperate house should be on your bucket list..awesome... Take the trailer bus tour for an overall look... Wonderful...well worth a trip

Just went for the Christmas light show. They have warm alcoholic beverages and food to purchase all around the garden at a reasonable price. There were some rides for kids next to the food/cafe area. Restrooms were quite a bit far apart.

Beautiful and bucket-worthy! An horticulturalist's dream (or an herbivore's at least), Kew Gardens is simply suberb. Gorgeous land-scaped grounds, manicured gardens, stately greenhouses, statuary, it's chock-full of Victorian charms. And it's also just such a serene, blissful escape from the real world - it's hard to imagine any discord or ugliness within these idyllic confines. The Temperate Greenhouse is a spectacular edifice with wonderful and rare specimens, and a catwalk from which to give an elevated view of the interior as a whole. Probably our favorite, though, was the water lily greenhouse which displayed an amazing diversity of lily pads from minuscule to mighty. Another favorite was the rock gardens, winsomely and engagingly arranged with meandering paths. There's also a terrific treetop walk which offered a birds-eye view of life high in the canopy - which is a rare view indeed for most folks. It was a delight to see the type of foliage at the upper reaches of trees - and as I have read in books, the birds you encounter high up seem to have less fear of you than they would at ground level. Though it might not be the best event for those with acrophobia - I have a mild case of it myself - I found that if I didn't look down through the grating and kept my eyes on the horizon, I did just fine (sort of ... ). Well worth purchasing entry tickets on-line ahead of time in order to avoid the ticket booth queues.

One of the top gardens in the world. Quite massive - can easily spend a day here. Sadly, the peacefulness is compromised owing to the fact the gardens are directly under the Heathrow flight path. Besides that, so much to see - with the conservatories the highlights. Definitely a highlight of my London visit.

A little far from London, but a beautiful botanical garden and space. It is close to the Kew underground station and the main entrance is a short walk. I spent an entire day walking and exploring the grounds. It has definitely earned its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This is a must see if you're coming to London. I would not mind visiting again and again. Also, their shop is quite large and full of souvenirs that are a bit different from the offerings at other sites around town. Would definitely recommend maybe finding a gift for mom or gardening-loving gran. Tip: I came in the springtime, and was able to see many baby geese wandering the grounds. So precious.

Shame on me for never reviewing Kew Garden. I've been several times and absolutely love this beautiful place. It is wonderful no matter what time of year you go. My most recent visit was for the orchid festival. The weather was cold (shocker) but the greenhouse is warm and is beautifully decorated with orchids of all shapes sizes and colours. If you live in London I suggest buying a membership because it pays for itself after 2 visits (including your first one). I've always been stubborn and never bought one but I suppose that's better for Kew, eh? The gardens are massive and have multiple different show rooms and greenhouses. I love the succulent/ cactus area and also the gift shop. I know that's random but the gifts are so lovely unique and I have a thing for flowers anyway. If you're here for Christmas time you should go to Christmas at Kew. They decorate Kew with lights and it's truly magical. The best way to do it is bring your own food and booze and eat as you walk so you don't have to wait in the long lines for food. Kew Gardens is probably one of my favourite places in London. I wouldn't say it's a must see for someone visiting for only a few days, but if you're staying here for a few months it's a lovely place to escape the big city. Also weird fact it's right by Heathrow so you hear planes coming by every 3 mins.

Peaceful and tranquil. Absolutely beautiful place to see. Spotless. Great place for kids to enjoy and learn about trees and flowers. Staff is very helpful.

Went to Kew gardens a few years ago during autumn and i was absolutely amazed. Coming from a tropical island i hardly ever saw all the colours nature could bring to us. I was in love with the tranquility in the morning being surronded by trees Went back there in December to see the Xmas lights and it was a different scene. It felt like you were lost in a Alice in Wonderland planet. It was quite straight to the point, so when it started getting too much you could already see the finish line. Not too long to get boring. Just perfect Defo worth going!! But make sure to plan the whole day there as it takes a while to see, take some sandwiches with you!! Even though they have cafes there you would still want to eat your own food on the grass embracing nature

This Garden is one of the best Gardens I have ever visited. It contains all kinds of plants from as dry as a dessert to as wet as a rain forest. There are some must sees: 1. Tree top: A shelf over the top of trees, making you feel the life of birds 2. Rose garden: Full of all kinds of roses and they are so pretty 3. The hive: A modern building in the shape of a hive. You can enter it and experience the life of bees.

Horticulturist, gardener or not, Kew will open your eyes to the wonderful world of plants. I have been many times, during many seasons and Kew is different every time. This time, during the pandemic, Kew had everything in hand for safety. Booked, timed entrance to avoid queueing behind someone. Hot houses with a one way system, albeit limiting some viewing but safety first. In some areas, eg Lotus house, numbers were limited. As a highly vulnerable person I felt safe and wore my mask while entering hot houses but it was nice to be able to wander the grounds maskless. So much space so no worries of contamination from another person. I loved this visit. Thank you.

Always a lovely place to visit but the food is eye-wateringly expensive and mostly unremarkable, cold sandwiches and salads. I'd highly recommend bringing your own food instead.

The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew (better known just as Kew Gardens) are quite spectacular and offer a day worth of sight-seeing in good weather. On top of the open-air and greenhouse plants (mostly shrubbery and trees, flowers not so much), you'll get Kew Palace (qv), the Pagoda (which costs extra!), the Japanese gardens, a couple of galleries, the Royal Kitchen and so much more. Should be good fun for the whole family. Also a very nice park to just stroll through. You will be given a map of the area at the entrance. Cheap it ain't (a single adult ticket goes for about €20 , discounts for families and seniors are available), but seems reasonable enough. Best way to get to Kew is to take the Underground (District Line to Richmond) and alight at Kew. It's a suburb and really nice, quite removed from the bustle of central London. From there it's a 10-12 minute walk to the gate. ALWAYS book your tickets online, makes it so much easier. My advice would be two visit the large greenhouses first, the rest later. It's all attractively designed, and there are activities for the small fry, too. If you need a rest, have a seat at their cafeteria-like restaurant The Orangery (not cheap, but decent food). A normal visit for a single visitor should take 3-4 hours at least. With children, give it a full day. Recommended.

A visit to Kew Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens, should be on everyone's list if you are in Richmond UK. Today presented itself with typical London weather, rain, sun , rain and sun and so etc and so forth. But the beauty of the gardens captivate every gardeners eye . Add to that beauty the Dale Chihuly's art and you have a touch of heaven. Lunch at the Botanical Restaurant brought happiness. I will mention only my lunch not others in our party. I began with a Kew Gin and Kew Botanical Tonic, From that I had green pea risotto. ( I can only imagine your thoughts..) Delicious. Then-the apple tart with ice cream. What more need be said! Lovely day.

I absolutely love Kew Gardens. Its one of the few places that I've bought membership for the second year. I love the open green spaces, the constantly changing colours and features. The orchid festival, the Royal kitchens in the Kew Palace, the chilli festival, the bonsai garden, the students little patches, the Christmas festival, the literature festival. there's always something interesting going on here. My friends kids love the treetop walkway & that is unanimously their favourite part of a visit. The gift shop always has something interesting to offer, especially if you have friends with green thumbs. Keep your eyes out for the friendly peacocks or foxes when you are here. While Peyton & Byrne run 2 very nice cafes onsite and I love their coffee, I prefer to grab a sausage roll from Pethers or Afternoon tea at Maids of Honour before entering the park. There's also a lovely Italian cafe in the village that remains open after the park and all other coffee shops in the area have closed down.

Kew Gardens is my favorite place in London. I have had a yearly membership here for the past two years (if you come more than twice within a year with another person, it's worth it) and I still get excited every time I visit. The conservatories are incredible and there is always something cool to see here, no matter the season. If you have time while visiting London (or if you live in/near London), it's definitely worth checking out.

LOVE THE KEW!! My friend and I went on the worse day ever. It was pouring, but still our experience there was very nice and lovely. The garden had its moments of rain and blue skies. We saw all sorts of plants and I saw a waterfall too! haha Waterfalls in London, but not Hawaii. How sad. Anyways, we also had tea inside The Pavillion. I saw some random peacocks (but very pretty) walking around the gardens.

This lovely spot almost has the feel of a large village green, thanks to the elegant Georgian houses which line its edges, the pubs, St Anne's Church and the cricket pitch on the western half (home to the local Kew Cricket Club - see: http://www.kewcc.co.uk) . The Green is beautifully maintained, with mature trees around the edges. In one corner of the Green is an old horse pond, which has a small island and planted pond edges, enabling a range of water birds to nest in peace and safety. Cricket was first recorded being played on the Green in 1737, and the Green itself was enclosed by a private Act of Parliament in 1824, preserving it in its current form. Alas, it would all be nicer still were it not bisected by the A205, better known as the South Circular. It's a hopelessly busy road, and entirely unsuitable for the heavy amount of traffic that uses it (an apt comment I once heard is that, while the North Circular really is a road, the South Circular is just a collection of signposts). Crossing it in the area of the Green requires taking your life in your hands. It also means that the park is only suitable for children who are fully aware of traffic. Still, the Kew Gardens end is a lovely enclave, the church of St Anne is worth a visit in its own right, and the sound of the traffic soon quietens down.

I always loved going to botanical gardens and kew is one of the wonderful gardens in London, it has so many different plants to explore and learn about them. I will always recommend people to visit such a beautiful gardens.

I love kew botanical gardens it is great for people of all ages and they have lots of child friendly exhibition with enormous lovely plants and a nice tour train through the park and there is the park with a friendly park peacock George and a extremely busy every 2 minutes bus connection with a big garden/cafe space with a ice cream truck all the time