What's on this December at Kew Gardens and Wakehurst
Release date: 22 November 2024
- Last chance to book remaining tickets for Christmas at Kew, ends 5 January
- Handmade lanterns and illuminations light up Wakehurst as Glow Wild returns – available to visit on Christmas Eve for the first time
- Special glow in the dark badge awaits Nature Heroes who complete the Night Knight mission at Wakehurst
- Giant 5-metre vases and precision-painted vessels from ceramicist Felicity Aylieff fill the Shirley Sherwood Gallery in Expressions in Blue
- Winter welcomes four-legged friends at Wakehurst with the arrival of Galloway cattle and Hebridean sheep
Kew Gardens
Christmas at Kew 2024 | Last remaining tickets
Christmas at Kew is back with its spectacular displays lighting up winter nights. From firm seasonal favourites to dazzling new installations, this year’s trail fills the UNESCO World Heritage landscape with kaleidoscopic colour, awe-inspiring lights, and impressive soundscapes. Running to 5 January 2025, Christmas at Kew offers an unmissable seasonal experience for all ages, celebrating the wonders of nature after dark. Pre-booking essential.
Expressions in Blue: Monumental Porcelain by Felicity Aylieff| Entry included in admission
Pushing the boundaries of contemporary ceramics, acclaimed artist Felicity Aylieff’s major exhibition of monumental ceramics continues at Kew’s Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art. A celebration of collaboration with porcelain production workshops and artisan craftspeople in Jingdezhen, China – known as the Porcelain Capital of the world – Expressions in Blue sees Aylieff’s signature large sculptural ceramics at a scale never seen before. New pieces include towering hand-thrown 5-metre vases painted with vibrant and expressive cobalt strokes, alongside Fencai enamelled vessels with designs inspired by the botanical illustrations from the Shirley Sherwood Collection.
Book now: A unique opportunity to hear Felicity Aylieff in conversation with BBC Antiques Roadshow expert and historian Lars Tharp | 6 March 2025
Rare and Extinct | Entry included in admission
Discover some of Kew’s most valuable species – not usually on display to the public. Until March 2025, these plants emerge from behind the scenes of the Tropical Nursery to take centre stage in the Temperate House. Displayed alongside a curated selection from Kew’s historic collections, the exhibition reveals the extraordinary efforts of Kew horticulturists to conserve the world’s rare and threatened plants.
Horticultural Highlights - Winter
Celebrating a new extension, Kew’s Winter Garden is entering its prime season, bringing unexpected bursts of colour as the wider landscape prepares for the colder months. 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.
Short courses
Why not sign up for a short course at Kew? Led by a selection of experts, these one-day courses offer unique opportunities to develop fresh skills within the stunning surroundings of Kew’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Ceramic bauble painting | 4 December | 2pm to 4pm | £90 members, £100 non-members, includes entry to Christmas at Kew
Draw inspiration from the winter landscape of Kew and take home the perfect festive keepsake in this creative bauble painting workshop with artist Beth Rodway. Each budding painter will leave with three hand-painted baubles individually tied with a ribbon – a unique decoration to treasure at home or gift to loved ones. Tickets include early entry into Christmas at Kew – selling out fast!
A garden for all seasons walking tour| 1 December to 28 February 2025 | 12.30pm | Included with entry to Gardens
Find new inspiration to bring colour and contrast to your own garden this winter with a new free walking tour offering visitors the chance to discover Kew's hidden winter highlights. Attendees must register with the guide at the Guides Desk Victoria Plaza 15 minutes before the tour start time
Kew Publishing Book of the Month | Kew Reusable Christmas Pop-Up Advent Calendar
Countdown to Christmas with Kew’s sustainable and reusable advent calendar. Celebrating the beautiful flora and fauna of the festive season, curated by illustrator Emily Carter, this calendar will form a magical addition to any Christmas display complete with pop-up pine tree, 25 hanging ornaments and accompanying booklet packed with festive facts.
Wakehurst
Horticultural Highlights
With the turning season, Wakehurst’s Winter Garden transforms into a sensory centrepiece, the perfect place to lift spirits on a cold day. Paths weave through bright red dogwood and swathes of tall grasses, as brightly coloured cyclamen and snowdrops offer a pop of colour on the ground.
During the colder months, Wakehurst welcomes herds of Riggit Galloway cattle and Hebridean sheep, as they travel from Ashdown Forest to feast on the landscape’s abundant herb-rich grass. The light-footed Hebridean sheep offer a helping hoof as they tread seed into the soil, opening up grassland to welcome light. Visitors will be able to spot the grazing cattle in fields surrounding the gardens, and later in the winter, the sheep will make their way to the Millennium Seed Bank meadow.
Glow Wild | Selected evenings until 1 January | 4.15pm to 10pm | Various flexible ticket options available
Sussex’s award-winning lantern trail returns to Wakehurst in a dazzling celebration of nature’s woodland wonders – trees. Leading artists come together to create a magical immersive experience filled with hand-crafted lanterns and immense light installations including a giant flying owl and a fiery wood dragon. At its heart, Wakehurst’s iconic 37m Christmas tree sparkles and for the first time ever, visitors can experience Glow Wild on Christmas Eve.
Nature Heroes: Night Knight | 20 December to 1 January | 10am to 3pm (last entry 1pm) | £4 per child
Young planet protectors have a new mission to conquer in this brand-new daytime adventure – Night Knight. Keen eyes and curious minds are key to master Wakehurst’s winter quest. Those who successfully complete the mission will be rewarded with a special glow in the dark badge – perfect for the Nature Heroes cape.
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.
Daily Guided Tours | Tuesday – Thursday | Free | Subject to guide’s availability
Experience a unique insight to the gardens and behind the scenes stories from Wakehurst’s knowledgeable volunteer guides. Experts will guide through seasonal highlights, pointing out plants of interest and reveal the secrets of Wakehurst.
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.
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.
ENDS
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NOTES TO EDITORS
About 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.
About Wakehurst
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, bequeathed to the National Trust in 1963.
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.
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 100,000 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.