Travel Weakness: Kew Gardens at London, England

If when visiting London you find yourself longing for a little space and fresh air, I highly recommend the well preserved pastoral sanctuary, Kew Gardens. Created in 1759, Kew Gardens, or if you want to be formal, the Royal Botanic Gardens, is one of London's most worthwhile destinations.

Here, you can engage in Britain's fine tradition of strolling through the land and appreciating its wildlife, while still remaining connected to England's historical riches. Although Kew Gardens has been a part of London's tourism-scape since Queen Victoria, having moved from Kew Palace, opened it to her public in 1898 it still remains unknown to many travelers even today.

Aunt Carol decided she'd like to see Kew Gardens after reading about their 250 year anniversary in Realm Magazine, and so off we went. After a twenty minute or so ride on the Distric Line, we arrived at Kew Gardens Station, one of the more picturesque metro stops on the line. Beyond that, Kew Gardens is just a short walk through the small neighborhood streets.

Kew Gardens has 121 hectares of land to walk around in. The scenery itself is breathtaking, a mix between roaming wildlife and carefully curated gardens. The mission of the Royal Botanic Gardens is to inspire and deliver science-based plant conservation worldwide, enhancing the quality of life and so along each walk, of which they offer suggested itineraries, there are postings educating the visitors on the various plant life.

Aside from the natural beauty in the cultivation of the grounds, the Royal Botanical Gardens engages its visitors with architectural follies, buildings meant for decoration and enjoyment. Kew Gardens does an excellent job of illustrating the history of the follies, found by following a map or hunting for them as you wander through the park. Some of the follies date back several hundred years, and serve as a watermark for the architectural fashion of the times. I have included a few below.

The Pagoda.

The pagoda, by Sir William Chambers, was erected in the mid-eighteenth century, when Chinoiserie was at the height of fashion. The ten-story structure, at 163 feet was, in its time, the largest reconstruction of a Chinese building in Europe. Today, visitors can climb the 253 stairs to the top to enjoy the view.

The Pagoda was used during wartime to test how bombs fell when dropped from its top, falling through holes drilled in each of its floors for design tests. However, the most famous story about the Pagoda is derived from its architectural embellishments, several gold dragons, that decorated its facade. A rumor circulated that the dragons, made of gold, were sold to settle King George IV's debt. It is now known, however, that the dragons were made of wood, painted gold and had simply rotted away.

King William's Temple and Mound.

Built by Sir Jeffrey Wyatville, and originally known as, 'The Hall of Military Fame,' this lovely folly is a pleasure to come upon. Designed to look like an Italian sensibility and Tuscan portico, another common nickname for the building was, 'The Pantheon'.

Although the parade of busts and the two life-sized sculptures have been relocated to museums, King William's temple still contains 18 cast iron and bronze plaques commemorating England's advancements from Minden to Warterloo, 1760-1815.

The Treetop Walkway.

This is a great destination within Kew Gardens for children and Leisurely Travelers alike. Ascend the new structure by stairs or by elevator, 18 meters into the wooded canopy. From up here, the view of the park is stunning, accentuated by informative signs and telescope viewers. An added bonus- the whole structure sways in the wind!

The Palm House.

Called, The Icon of Kew and built in 1844, the palm house is the world's most impressive surviving Victorian glass house. Built with glass and white-painted iron, the Palm House feels like a magical space. Included among the treasures in the Palm House are sculptures, rare plant species (include the world's largest indoor tree) and a treetop walkway that lines the roof of the structure with its storybook, spiral staircases.

Up on the walkway.

Looking down on Aunt Carol and Grandma.

Sculpture at Kew. This one in particular is a reproduction of Donatello's David.

Schoolchildren reading in the Palm House.

The Evolution House.
A gift from Australia, this large glasshouse contains an interactive exhibit displaying the evolution of plants. The fun, illustrated science that guides you through the tour creates a great atmosphere for children, but the waterfalls and moss-covered rocks were my favorite part.

Cokushi-Mon.

Built in 1910 this Japanese building is an exact replica, at four-fifths the size, of Karamon of Nishi Hongon-ji, in Kyoto. This building, originally the site of Sir Willam Chamber's Mosque, is built in the 16th century, Japanese Momoyama style, referred to as Japanese Rococo for its embellished creativity. This Gateway of the Imperial Messenger boasts didactic embellishments, finely carved details depicting the devotion of a student to his master among delicately executed animals and flowers.

Queen Charlotte's Cottage.
In the spring, surrounded by bluebells, the Queen Charlotte's Cottage (completed in 1771) is where the Royal Family would picnic on their day out and about Kew. With Hogarth prints hung on the ground floor, a curved staircase leading to a picnic room and flower murals decorating the walls, this is perhaps Kew's most charming folly.

The Minka House and Bamboo Gardens.

The Minka House, a traditional Japanese farmhouse, is transported from Okazaki, where it was built in 1900. Minka houses are not cemented to the earth and this flexibility helps them to withstand an earthquake. This particular house was lived in by the Yonezu family (who moved into this house after their home was destroyed by a bomb) until its last member died in 1993. Relocated here in 2001, the house commemorates the Japan Festival of that year.

Today the house is surrounded by Kew's Bamboo Garden. Nestled in 1,200 species of bamboo, the house is a picturesque and historical stop along the tour of the gardens. Particularly pleasing to the eye are the colorful leaves of the 'fire power' bamboo bushes planted at the entrances to the Minka House. This sacred bush is said to have the power to dispell bad dreams.

The Alpine House.

The most recent in Kew's long tradition of Alpine houses, this newest edition, built in 2006, displays one of my favorite architectural elements at Kew. Meant to resemble a mountain peak, the inside features a potted garden with bright alpine flowers and plants, displayed elegantly within the clean lines of a rock wall. Interestingly, the Alpine House is kept cool by a series of pipes that dips beneath its surface where the temperature remains at a suitable temperature.