What’s on this January at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst

Release date: 16 December 2025

two people walk through the Pinetum with frost on the ground
  • Final dates for Christmas at Kew, ends 4 January
  • Continuing exhibitions in the Shirley Sherwood Gallery celebrate Indian art
  • Horticultural highlights include Kew’s Winter Garden and evergreen forests at Wakehurst
  • Book now: Orchids 2026
  • At Wakehurst, the Winter Garden is a sparkling tapestry of colour, texture and scent

Kew Gardens

Christmas at Kew | must end 4 January 2026 | 4.20pm to 10pm | Kew Gardens (Entrances: Victoria Gate, Brentford Gate and Elizabeth Gate)

Lit up temperate house with large Kew installation

 

Christmas at Kew is an unmissable opportunity celebrate the festive season or welcome in the New Year with family and friends. Don’t miss spectacular new creations from world-wide artists presented uniquely for the first time in the UK. These larger-than-life illuminations are always unforgettable and to make it even more memorable, glimpse Father Christmas along the way.  

The Singh Twins and Flora Indica | until 12 April 2026 | Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art | Included with entry

 

Now running in Kew’s Shirley Sherwood Gallery, two complementary exhibitions explore the complex colonial history of botanical art through both historical and contemporary lenses. In Gallery 5, Botanical Tales and Seeds of Empire by internationally acclaimed artists The Singh Twins showcases a striking new body of work inspired by Kew’s botanical archives. 

Flora Indica: Recovering the lost histories of Indian botanical art, displayed in Galleries 1–4 will be the first-ever public display of 52 rediscovered botanical illustrations by Indian artists commissioned by British botanists between 1790 and 1850.

An accompanying Indian flora walking tour runs each Sunday and Wednesday until 29 March, departing from Victoria Plaza at 11.30am. 

Horticultural Highlights- Winter

Kew’s Winter Garden offers spectacular colour throughout the season, with delicate snowdrops contrasting with textured grasses and fiery dogwoods. Elsewhere, the Grass Garden offers a serene space to sit and reflect, and the Rock Garden has lots of winter interest to admire. 

Kew Publishing Book of the Month | Flora Indica: Recovering lost stories from Kew’s Indian drawings by H.J. Noltie

 

For the first time, Kew’s recovered collections of Indian botanical art are brought together with the remarkable stories that they tell – of the artists who painted them, the colonial context in which they were made, and their essential role in the development of botanical knowledge. With text by leading expert Henry Noltie, this beautifully illustrated book reveals the lost stories of how these illustrations came to be, exploring the work of 20 Indian artists from 11 collections, with 19 named individuals and 30 previously unseen illustrations. 

Coming Soon: Orchids 2026 | 7 February – 8 March 2026 | Pre-booking essential

 

Join us for an orchid spectacular inspired by China, as we celebrate 30 years of our much-loved Orchid Festival. The 2026 festival takes inspiration from China’s remarkable biodiversity, heritage and design traditions, filling our Princess of Wales glasshouse with a dazzling array of orchids and large-scale floral installations. Wander among dragons, lanterns and intricate plant sculptures that bring to life the beauty and wildlife of one of the world’s most biodiverse countries and experience a burst of colour and warmth in the winter months.

Wakehurst

Wakehurst Mansion with snow-covered lawn in the foreground

 

Horticultural Highlights

Wakehurst’s evergreen woodlands are a treat for the senses with pine scents and birdsong, while viewpoints across Wakehurst reveal rolling hills and undulating landscapes across the Sussex High Weald. Visitors can discover the Winter Garden as it transforms into a seasonal spectacle, with a tapestry of colour and texture even in the colder months. Mature Himalayan silver birch trees (Betula utilis var. Jacquemontianii) rise above a layered display of bold red dogwood (Cornus), whilst snowdrops and cyclamen start to pop up across the ground throughout late winter. A treat for all senses, visitors can seek out the sweet scent of daphne bholua, with the sound of the wind rustling through ‘Karl Foerster’ grasses (Calamagrostis). With Wakehurst open over Boxing Day and over the festive period, it’s the ideal location for the families to come together, uniting the generations for a crisp winter walk. 

Should the season bring less favourable weather, visitors can seek solace in the Atrium of Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, which offers windows into the labs and an interactive exhibition for children. 

Events

Glow Wild | Ends  3 January 2026 | 4pm to 10pm | Flexible ticket options available

large glowing tentacles emerge from Mansion Pond

 

Glow Wild returns to Wakehurst with a bold new theme: Seed Safari - A Walk on the Wild Side. From 27 November 2025 to 3 January 2026, Sussex’s award-winning lantern trail invites visitors of all ages to wander into a radiant reimagining of the natural world, where seeds spark stories and the wild glows after dark. Book ticket for the trail now, featuring brand-new bespoke installations, an enhanced street food offering and Wakehurst’s iconic Christmas tree. Glow Wild guests can also add on an exclusive Mansion VIP experience, with a welcome drink, seasonal mezze-style sharing platter and a fully stocked bar. 

Parkrun at Wakehurst | Every Saturday from 9am | Free  

Pace yourself through our scenic landscape as Parkrun is now at Wakehurst. Every Saturday morning, embark on a fun, free and friendly 5K. Participants must register with Parkrun before their first event.  

Guided tours | Tues to Thurs, 11.30am and 2pm | Fri – Mon, 11.30am | Free, subject to availability 

Whether it’s your first time visiting or you're a regular to the gardens wanting to learn more, join a volunteer-led tour to discover seasonal areas of interest, learn about the history of the landscape and discover behind-the-scenes stories of the gardens. 

Millennium Seed Bank Atrium Guided Tours | Mondays 2pm | Free, subject to availability 

Step inside the most biodiverse place on earth and enjoy a guided tour of the MSB Atrium. Trained volunteer guides will take you through the journey of a seed from collection to banking and point out areas of interest through the laboratory windows. Launched in celebration of the Millennium Seed Bank’s 25th anniversary.

Dog walks at Wakehurst | Daily | Dedicated dog walking route 

Enjoy Wakehurst’s wintery woodlands and captivating views with your four-legged friend in tow. Wakehurst’s dedicated dog walking route takes you through woodlands of the world, offering a dog walk with a difference. Excitable pups can burn off energy in the secure off-lead area and enjoy some downtime in Wakehurst’s dog-friendly cafes. 

Uniformed group visits | Evenings and Saturdays | £170 per group of up to 30 young people 

Twilight and Saturday sessions ideal for groups such as Cubs, Beavers, Brownies, Scouts, Guides or for eco/extracurricular clubs. Led by a qualified teacher, work towards conservation learning, nature connectedness, exploration or activity badges in our vast landscape and outdoor learning facilities.

Exhibitions

Surviving or Thriving: An exhibition on plants and us | Daily, 10am – 3.30pm | Millennium Seed Bank | Included with entry

This exhibition brings Kew’s State of the World’s Plants reports to life, telling the story of why some plants are only surviving, while others are thriving. Through film, audio, models, and a futuristic garden, explore  the challenges that plants face and discover the vital role of fungi. 

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ENDS

Notes to Editors

About Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew  

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding collections and scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation, and sustainable development in the UK and around the globe. Kew’s scientists and partners lead the way in the fight against biodiversity loss and finding nature-based solutions to the climate crisis, aided by five key scientific priorities outlined in Kew’s Science Strategy 2021-2025. Kew Gardens is also a major international and top London visitor attraction. Kew’s 132 hectares of historic, landscaped gardens, and Wakehurst, Kew’s Wild Botanic Garden and ‘living laboratory’, attract over 2.5 million visits every year. Kew Gardens was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003 and celebrated its 260th anniversary in 2019. Wakehurst is home to the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world and a safeguard against the disastrous effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. In 2021 Kew launched its Sustainability Strategy to become climate positive by 2030. RBG Kew received approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needs to support RBG Kew’s vital scientific and educational work comes from donors, memberships and commercial activity including ticket sales. For tickets, please visit www.kew.org/kew-gardens/visit-kew-gardens/tickets. In the first six months since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed over 200,000 visitors with £1 tickets.

About Wakehurst 

Wakehurst is Kew’s wild botanic garden in the Sussex High Weald National Landscape. Its ancient and beautiful landscapes span 535 acres and are a place for escape, exploration, tranquility, and wonder. Its diverse collection of plants from Britain and around the globe thrive within a tapestry of innovative gardens, temperate woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Wakehurst is a centre for UK biodiversity and global conservation, seed research and ecosystem science. At its heart is Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the world’s largest store of seeds from wild plant species.    

The National Trust was bequeathed the Mansion and grounds of Wakehurst in 1963. Whilst Wakehurst is not a National Trust property, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has a longstanding relationship with the National Trust dating back to 1965 when Kew took over the running of Wakehurst’s 535 acres of botanical landscapes and Elizabethan Mansion. 

RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils. Further funding needed to support RBG Kew’s vital work comes from donors, membership and commercial activity including ticket sales. In the first six months since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed over 200,000 visitors with £1 tickets.  

At the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, we’re dedicated to harnessing the power of plants and fungi to end the extinction crisis and secure a future for all life on Earth. With our world-leading research, global partnerships and beloved gardens – home to the world’s most diverse collections of plants and fungi – we’re using our trusted voice to shape policy and practice worldwide. As a charity we rely on the critical support of our visitors, not only to sustain the gardens, but to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity for the benefit of our planet and humanity. 

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In March 2021, RBG Kew launched its 10-year strategy Our Manifesto for Change 2021. The institution’s ultimate goal is step up to help to end the extinction crisis and contribute to creating a world where nature is protected, valued by all and managed sustainably. In the wake of a global pandemic, and with the future of the planet in peril, the strategy represents a public commitment by RBG Kew to do everything in its power to reverse the environmental devastation of biodiversity loss and climate change.  The five key priorities are 1) Delivering science-based knowledge and solutions to protect biodiversity and use natural resources sustainably 2) Inspiring people to protect the natural world 3) Training the next generation of experts: 4) Extending our reach 5) Influencing national and international opinion and policy.

On May 25 2021 RBG Kew launched its new Sustainability Strategy – committing to become Climate Positive by 2030 and marking a step-change in our urgent action to tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis.