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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Kew Gardens
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The name by which the Royal Botanic Gardens are commonly known. A royal garden was created at Kew (16km/10m west of central London) by Frederick Prince of Wales and his wife Augusta, and it was later extended by their son, George III. Frederick appointed John Dillman as his 'master gardener' in 1730. In 1757 Augusta employed William *Chambers to provide adornments and follies, of which the Orangery and the 10-storey Chinese Pagoda are the best known. Under the guidance of Joseph *Banks plants were brought here from all over the world, and it was as a *botanic garden of scientific importance that Kew was given to the nation in 1840. Its reputation was further enhanced by the work of its first director, William *Hooker (the most dramatic story of propagation in his time being that of *Victoria Amazonica).
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Though primarily a centre for botanical research, Kew is also a very popular public garden of 121ha/300ac, attracting more than a million visitors each year. In addition to the beauties of botany and landscape there are architectural delights: a small redbrick mansion of 1631, sometimes known as the Dutch House but also as Kew Palace; the Queen's Cottage, a summerhouse built for Queen Charlotte in about 1771; and a magnificent early conservatory (the *Palm House, 1844–8, by Decimus *Burton and Richard *Turner). Since 1965 *Wakehurst Place has been planted and administered as a companion garden to Kew.
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