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Kew is top of the tree in poll to find Britain's best public garden
Simon Kirby01.10.08
The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew have been voted the nation's best public garden by international travellers.
The 300-acre gardens in south-west London were a clear winner ahead of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh and Groombridge Gardens in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
In fourth and fifth place were, respectively, Stourhead in Wiltshire and Hampton Court.
The poll was carried out by travel website TripAdvisor, which allows travellers to provide ratings for places they have visited. Kew Gardens is a World Heritage Site that attracts 1.4 million visitors per year.
Among the garden's attractions is the world's biggest compost heap and it has enjoyed a 15 per cent spike in visitor numbers since the beginning of the summer.
The tourist attraction, near Richmond, is also a leading centre of botanical research and training. It holds examples of 96 per cent of British plant life and more than three-quarters of the country's endangered plant species. Jill Preston, Kew's director of communications and commercial activities, said: "We are absolutely thrilled to be number one. As well as being a beautiful garden landscape, Kew Gardens is also a scientific institution, working to inspire and deliver science-based plant conservation worldwide.
"Next year is our 250th anniversary and we hope to continue to use the gardens to inform people of the vital role of botanic gardens across the globe."
Luke Fredberg, of TripAdvisor, said: "Britain is fortunate in having such a rich heritage of public gardens. The volume and range of reviews and opinions posted on TripAdvisor from around the world would testify to their popularity."
Kew Gardens were established in Kew Park and expanded in the late 1740s by George II's son - and George III's father - Frederick, Prince of Wales. In 1750, he spent £216 on trees and shrubs which form the basis of today's collections and in 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden.
Reader views (3)
Kew Gardens is an absolute gem. I hope that whenever an opportunity arises to buy more land adjacent to the Gardens that it is taken.
- Steven Dawson, London
My favorite London place. Any people reading this overseas, it's less than an hour from Heathrow, and the perfect place to recover from jet-lag and travel stress.
- Nigel, London
I have to say as an Aussie living here that places like Kew Gardens are major reasons why I love London so much. Try looking at other major world cities - New York, LA, Paris, Bangkok - they have so little greenery it's depressing - London tops them all.
- David, N10
