Kew Gardens launches appeal to restore the Victorian Palm House

Almost 180 years after it first opened, the Palm House at Kew Gardens is in urgent need of major renovation. The warm, humid conditions required to sustain its extraordinary collection of tropical plants — including species that are rare, threatened or entirely extinct in the wild — have taken a heavy toll on the Victorian glasshouse's fabric over the decades.

Kew has now launched a public fundraising appeal to fund the works, with an ambitious goal of making the Palm House the first net-zero glasshouse of its kind — preserving its heritage while bringing it firmly into the 21st century.

Residents can support the appeal from as little as £25, either through a general donation or by sponsoring a single pane of glass. Higher-level options include sponsoring a step on one of the Palm House's distinctive cast-iron spiral staircases (£5,000) or one of the ten 'Queen's Beasts' that stand outside the building.

For Barnes residents, Kew is one of the neighbourhood's most cherished neighbours — a short cycle or bus ride away and a regular destination for families and nature-lovers alike. The appeal gives locals a direct stake in keeping this landmark in good health for another generation.

Kew launches major fundraising appeal to save iconic Palm House