Kew Unveils New Gardens and Seasonal Wonders for 2025
Release date: 11 February 2025
- New Carbon Garden positions plants and fungi as our allies in creating a sustainable future
- Redesigned Queen Charlotte’s Cottage gardens flowers for the first time in a colorful haven for wildlife
- Wild Rose Garden flowers for the first time showcasing one of the best collections in the world
- New wildflower meadow boosts biodiversity and colour beneath Treetop Walkway
Spring
Marking the arrival of Spring, magnolias will flower across the gardens whilst boughs laden with cherry blossom form soft-pink clouds over Cherry Walk and Asano Avenue near the Temperate House. Here, visitors will also discover a treasure trove of naturalised tulips. From late March into April a carpet of bluebells awaits visitors to Queen Charlotte’s Cottage and the Natural Area, soon followed by wildflowers bringing the promise of summer. Rhododendron Dell, originally designed as a Hollow Walk 250 years ago by Capability Brown, bursts into life each May. This secluded area of the Gardens brings an array of colour and scent, whilst the Peony Garden promises ephemeral blowsy blooms, accessed via the rose pergola in the flourishing Agius Evolution Garden.
Late March onwards: Queen Charlotte’s Cottage gardens redesigned
Queen Charlotte’s Cottage was created in 1771 in an area of the Gardens known as ‘the wilderness’. While the folly was used by Queen Charlotte, King George III’s wife, many animals were kept in the cottage paddock, including kangaroos (the first to arrive in England). In 2024, Botanical Horticulturist Sam Stapleton took on the task of transforming the gardens surrounding the cottage, returning them to their former glory. Much of this area will flower for the first time in spring 2025.
Situated at the boundary where Kew’s more formal Gardens transition into the Natural Area, the cottage lends itself to a wilder, more natural design. Stapleton’s considered introduction of native plants and flowers alongside dead wood, fallen branches and other materials sourced from the Gardens has come together to form a mixed woodland-type habitat that champions wildlife. In early 2025, hundreds of daffodils will burst into colour, soon followed by a ‘river’ of bluebells. Foxgloves will flower with the arrival of summer whilst autumn will welcome a flourishing 'mushroom garden' created using waste woodchip and other organic material (including pine needles, leaf matter, horse manure and straw).
April: Waterlily House re-opens
To honour the Waterlily House’s173-year history, the team has designed a special display filled with intricate bedding designs, swaying palms and potted ferns inspired by Victorian trends. Victoria cruziana will take centre stage, whilst in a nod to archive designs, plants such as potted Papyrus, Lotus and Chenille will further adorn the space. The jewel-like pink and red tones of Rose Grape and West Indian Jasmine will complement the bright blooms of the aptly named Gold Finger (Juanulloa Mexicana).
Kew is on a mission to transform the iconic Palm House and Waterlily House into the world’s first net zero glasshouses. A team of worldclass experts have been assembled to renovate the historic buildings, using cutting-edge technology in an ambition to make them carbon neutral. This project will take place in the coming years.
May: New wildflower meadow
A new wildflower meadow planted beneath the Treetop Walkway will bloom into a swathe of delicate colour and movement this May, with particularly striking views from the heights of the canopy. These native wildflowers will hopefully flourish for the first time in late Spring, adding a burst of colour and boosting biodiversity.
Summer
Peonies flower into June, while the Rose Garden is the ideal spot to enjoy a balmy summer evening. Wander amongst a selection of summer plants along Kew’s Great Broad Walk Borders, or beneath yellow arches of laburnum in the Queen’s Garden, originally home to Queen Charlotte and King George III. In recent years, pockets of the Gardens have been allowed to grow wild, creating mini meadows which are attractive to pollinators.
June: Wild Rose Garden flowers
Flowering for the first time this summer, Kew’s new Wild Rose Garden planted in 2024 showcases one of the best collections of wild roses in the world, dating back to the 1800s. With over 70 types of wild rose on display, this garden tells the story of the evolution of the much-loved flower, which stem from just ten wild rose species.
Generally, more disease-resistant and hardy than cultivated varieties, wild roses play a crucial role in ecological conservation by providing food and habitat for pollinators and wildlife. By maintaining wild rose populations, horticulturists can support local ecosystems and promote biodiversity in natural landscapes.
The new garden includes rare, understudied species not found in UK collections such as R. terscolensis (IUCN: threatened), R. teberdensis (Predicted extinction risk: threatened), R. dolichocarpa (critically endangered) and R. khasautensis (threatened) alongside mature specimens of ornamental rose species collected in the past 70 years.
July: Carbon Garden opens
In Summer 2025, Kew Gardens will unveil its new Carbon Garden, a bespoke garden designed to highlight carbon’s essential role as a building block of all life on Earth. The new garden tells the story of the carbon cycle, adapting to a changing climate and how we can develop nature-based solutions. Visitors will also learn about Nature Unlocked, Kew’s research programme which develops nature-based solutions backed by science to protect the planet.
Through innovative planting, the garden covers four main themes: one introducing the carbon cycle; the second illustrating what London gardens could look like if climate change continues at its current rate; the third showcasing how we can use nature to repair our climate; and the fourth championing how we can still make a difference.
Autumn
Showy displays of the Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and Hickory (Carya species) are not to be missed come autumn. Deep reds and purples will frame Kew’s iconic Palm House pond, while Viburnum and rowan (Sorbus species) berries will provide bursts of colours around the Gardens. Particularly striking on a bright autumn day, the seed heads of the Grass Garden offer beautiful architectural interest whilst serving as an important source of shelter for insects and other small creatures.
September: Edible Science: Kew’s Kitchen Garden
Kew’s Kitchen Garden has a long history of supplying fresh food – from Georgian royals residing in Kew Palace, to visitors dining in the onsite restaurants. Today, the Kitchen Garden also forms a rich source for educating visitors about sustainable food and a space for experimenting with unusual crops. From 2025, the Edible Science team will be growing plants from the Heritage Seed Library – the national collection of heritage and heirloom vegetables run by Garden Organic. Beans will be a focus, exploring how they can be used to boost protein in everyday diets, and how they can increase the yields of farmers’ land by being planted between existing crops – a process known as intercropping.
2025 will also see the garden’s cut flower bed become a permanent feature after a popular premiere last year. Perennial plants will nestle alongside annuals to increase sustainability, bringing vibrant splashes of colour in a celebration of seasonality. Keen gardeners can get tips on how to prolong their growing season with the installation of a new greenhouse – a space that will not only boost a summer harvest but also prove useful even in the depths of winter.
Redwood Grove
Amongst a collection of living giants that transport you to western America, botanical horticulturist Sam Stapleton and supervisor Valerie Boujard are adding autumn colour. Every time a wild specimen is added to Kew’s collection, the database notes the conditions, geographical location and more, including details of the plants that were growing alongside them. By underplanting shrubs listed on this database, that bring vibrant, autumn colour, the team hope to create a colourful route from the Redwoods towards the lily pond, where the Gingko and the Pseudolarix promise bold seasonal hues.
Winter
One of Kew’s more historic corners, Holly Walk, is home to over 30 species of the iconic festive plant – now recognised as one of Europe’s most comprehensive holly collections. Elsewhere, hellebores and winter aconites offer colourful splashes of winter interest.
November: Kew’s Winter Garden
Newly extended in 2024, Kew’s Winter Garden promises flourishes of colour during the depths of winter. From delicate snowdrops to the leathery leaves of mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’), the sweet perfumes of Daphne to the bright silvery bark of Himalayan birch trees (Betula utilis subsp. Jacquemontii), this corner of Kew offers an extraordinary sensory experience to brighten the winter months.
The Winter Garden’s extension celebrates shady winter interest plants, with the vibrant Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and dogwood (Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’) bringing fiery colours to the Gardens even on gloomy days. Its elevated position offers unique views across the comparatively flat gardens, including the magnificent Temperate House and Great Pagoda which can be seen in the distance.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, is dedicated to harnessing the power of plants and fungi to end the extinction crisis and secure a future for all life on Earth. With Kew’s world-leading research, global partnerships and beloved gardens – home to the world’s most diverse collections of plants and fungi – Kew is using its trusted voice to shape policy and practice worldwide. As a charity, Kew relies on the critical support of its visitors, not only to sustain the gardens, but to protect global plant and fungal biodiversity for the benefit of our planet and humanity.
ENDS
Admission to the exhibition is included in a ticket to Kew Gardens. Pre-booking online offers the best value visit.
For more information or images, please contact the Press Office at pr@kew.org.
At-a-glance listings
Orchids: Peru | Saturday 1 February – Sunday 2 March 2025 | Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew Gardens | Free with admission but slots must be pre-booked in advance
Kew Gardens’ much-loved annual Orchid festival returns for 2025, inspired by the incredible ecosystems and biodiversity of Peru.
Rare and Extinct | now until 16 March 2025 | Temperate House | Free with admission
Recently extended due to popular demand, Rare and Extinct celebrates the world's most threatened plants. Twenty-three plants are displayed in a "Room of Rarity" and "Room of Extinction", accompanied by a curated selection of artefacts from Kew's Herbarium, Economic Botany Collection and archives, as well as films featuring Kew horticulturists that offer a closer look at these important plants and the extraordinary people who care for them.
Sounds of Blossom | 15 March – 6 April | Around Kew Gardens
Visitors can welcome the arrival of spring with the return of Kew’s Blossom Festival in March.
Of the Oak | 3 May – 28 September 2025 | Free with admission
Kew’s first-ever outdoor digital commission delves into the hidden life of one of Kew’s most remarkable trees, created by Marshmallow Laser Feast
Carbon Garden unveiled | Kew Gardens | Summer 2025
Explore this newly created garden to find out more about the ways in which plants capture carbon dioxide and provide nature-based solutions for mitigating climate change.
Material World | Temperate House, Kew Gardens | 20 September – 31 October 2025
A brand-new festival showcasing the future of fashion surrounded by some of the rarest plants on the planet.
Christmas at Kew | November 2025 – January 2026 | Kew Gardens
Christmas at Kew returns with more festive fun to see out the year.
Notes to Editors
About the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific and horticultural institution and conservation charity, whose mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the wellbeing of people and the future of all life on Earth. It is internationally respected for its outstanding collections, horticultural and scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the globe. Kew Gardens, with its 132 hectares of historic, landscaped gardens, is also a major attraction for international and London visitors alike. Dating back to 1759, the site has a rich history and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003. Combined visitor numbers with Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, total over 2.5 million per year. 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.
RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from the UK Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils, with the remaining two thirds coming from supporters, sponsors, memberships and commercial activity including ticket sales. This enables RBG Kew to carry out its vital scientific and educational work. For tickets and membership options, please visit our website. Since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed over 100,000 visitors with £1 tickets across both UK sites.