Latest news with #TomPickering
Metro
16-07-2025
- General
- Metro
Iconic London attraction will close for four years during £60,000,000 upgrade
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The Victorian glasshouse at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew will close to visitors during a major refurbishment in a bid to boost energy efficiency. Built in the 19th century, Kew's iconic Palm House in west London attracts millions of visitors each year who come to visit the thousands of rare tropical plants, such as the world's oldest potted plant. But the Palm House and its sister glasshouse, the Waterlily House, need urgent repairs after 'serious signs of deterioration,' Kew has warned. Plans are now going ahead for a £60 million upgrade designed to make the buildings more energy efficient by replacing thousands of glass panes and the creaking pipes. While the Palm House and Waterlily House will close eventually when the works start in 2027, visitors will still be able to see the plants as Kew is erecting a temporary and a new permanent greenhouse. Each year, 2.4 million people flock to see the 1,300 plants, which are housed in a balmy 28°C all year round. The optimal conditions are maintained by the gas-fired boiler system and pipes – once state-of-the-art when the Palm House was built between 1844 and 1848. But, they have since worn-out. An application to replace the the heating system, as well as make several other changes and make the Palm House entirely carbon neutral, has been submitted to Richmond borough council. Other changes outlined in the application are: A total of 16,500 glass panes being replaced with high-performance sealed glazing Silicone gaskets will be installed to reduce heat loss, while a fully electrified air and water source heat pump system will also be installed Rainwater storage will be enlarged and the irrigation system will be upgraded The Victorian materials and finishes will be conserved, the Royal Botanic Gardens said Sir William Nestfield's original garden layout will also be restored Tom Pickering, the head of glasshouse collections at Kew, said: 'At the heart of this project is the need to protect the extraordinary plant collections housed in the Palm House and Waterlily House. More Trending 'Besides being beautiful, many have cultural, scientific and conservation value, and replacing these collections is unimaginable. Achieving net zero in these historic buildings is an unprecedented task; it's a complex challenge which must consider the interplay of horticulture, climatic control, engineering, and architecture.' Before the works can start, Kew is seeking funding for the project at the Grade I-listed buildings to prevent the heritage from being 'lost forever.' Richard Deverell, the director of Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, said: 'This is a pivotal moment in the history of Kew. With sustainability at the core of our mission, this project exemplifies our commitment to safeguarding both the environment and cultural heritage. 'The transformation of the Palm House and Waterlily House into net-zero icons will not only protect irreplaceable plants but serve as a beacon of what sustainable heritage can achieve.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 'Elegant' UK seaside town gets direct train to London after it was axed five years ago MORE: I stayed in the £1,800-a-night McLaren Suite at the London Hilton — is it worth the hype? MORE: Open-top tourist bus smashes into tree in central London
Daily Mail
16-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Kew Gardens' Palm House is getting a £50 million climate-friendly makeover: Iconic Victorian glasshouse will SHUT for four years in major net zero push
It's one of the most iconic glass buildings in London. Now, experts have confirmed that Kew Gardens' Palm House is getting a £50 million climate-friendly makeover. The Grade I listed Palm House, a 362ft long structure at Kew Gardens, is the world's oldest surviving Victorian glasshouse, dating back to 1848. Last renovated in the 1980s, the stunning Victorian structure, which takes the shape of an upside down boat, houses palms and other tropical plants. But it is 'showing serious signs of deterioration' and easily leaks heat, which increases energy consumption and contributes to the climate crisis. The £50 million renovation will replace an antiquated Victorian heating system, fit new glass panes, repaint the white iron frames and redesign the interior for visitors. Palm House's hard-to-find exotic species – numbering more than 1,000 – are threatened if the building is not better designed to retain heat and humidity. 'At the heart of this project is the need to protect the extraordinary plant collections,' said Tom Pickering, head of glasshouse collections for Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. 'Besides being beautiful, many have cultural, scientific and conservation value, and replacing these collections is unimaginable.' On Wednesday, Kew submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames to undertake the 'landmark' renovation, as well as the nearby Waterlily House. The start date of the renovation will depend on planning permission, but it will begin in 2027 and take at least four years, subject to funding. For now, Palm House and the surrounding space is still open to the public. It was back in 1844 that work began on Palm House, designed by Decimus Burton and constructed like the upturned hull of a boat by Irish boatbuilder Richard Turner. By 1848 it was completed and it remains the heart of Kew Gardens, but today it is 'showing serious signs of deterioration' and is 'not energy efficient'. As part of the renovation, the structure's aged Victorian gas-fired boilers are to be replaced with fully electrified heat pumps to halve energy consumption. This more sustainable solution reduces the carbon footprint of the glasshouse whilst regulating internal temperatures to 64°F-71°F (18°C-22°C). Each one of the 16,000 glass panes will be recycled and replaced with new ones, lined with modern sealants to better retain heat and humidity. Currently, much of the heat generated by the boilers is lost through the glass, which results in wasted energy – much like an open window above a radiator. Kew Gardens is hoping to be 'net zero', which means it will be reducing consumption of energy generated by fossil fuels – linked to the ongoing climate crisis. Meanwhile, the rapidly-peeling wrought-iron frames that make up the skeleton of the structure will be stripped and repainted in their iconic white. An updated Palm House will also have rainwater storage mechanisms and fabric fittings to increase thermal insulation, while remaining 'sensitive' to the original materials and finishes done by the Victorians. When it reopens, visitors will benefit from a 'circular welcome space' for groups to gather, refurbished steps and doors and new handrails to improve accessibility – making the space 'fully inclusive'. During the renovation, the vast greenhouse will have to be empty, so more than 1,000 plant species will have relocated and stored in similarly heated conditions. According to Kew Gardens, Palm House contains tropical plants that originate from some of the most threatened environments in the world. Among its treasures are the oldest pot plant in the world (Encephalartos altensteinii) which arrived at Kew in 1775 and is native to South Africa, and the disease-fighting Madagascar periwinkle, valued for medicinal properties. There's also the Madagascan palm, also known as suicide palm, which lives for about 50 years, flowers once, and dies soon after. The relocation and propagation (new plants grown from seeds and cuttings) of the specimens by Kew's expert horticulturists has already begun. But Kew Gardens stressed that it is still seeking funding for this ambitious project – and is taking donations from the public through its website. Without 'urgent' funding, Palm House and Waterlily House, and the vital tropical plant species in them, are 'at risk of being lost forever', it says. Richard Deverell, director of Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, called it a 'pivotal moment' in the history of the gardens, which were founded in 1759. 'With sustainability at the core of our mission, this project exemplifies our commitment to safeguarding both the environment and cultural heritage,' he said. 'The transformation of the Palm House and Waterlily House into net zero icons will not only protect irreplaceable plants but serve as a beacon of what sustainable heritage can achieve.' Palm House reflects a Victorian love of glass buildings, which maximised light but were incredibly expensive to build, making them a status symbol of wealth. The 1,851ft-long Crystal Palace, completed three years after Palm House, boasted the greatest area of glass ever seen in a building. Designed by renowned English architect Sir Joseph Paxton, the Crystal Palace was built in Hyde Park at a cost of £80,000 (nearly £10 million in today's money). It hosted the Great Exhibition of 1851 – a vast event showcasing sculptures, machinery, diamonds, telescopes and much more from around the world. Afterwards, Crystal Palace was relocated to Penge Common, near Sydenham Hill in south London, where it remained until sadly destroyed by fire in November 1936. A potted history of Kew Gardens 1759: Princess Augusta, mother of King George III, founds a nine-acre botanic garden within the pleasure grounds at Kew. 1762: William Chambers builds the Great Pagoda, a tall, oriental-style structure at Kew. 1768: Joseph Banks sends seeds to Kew whilst on Captain Cook's voyage to South Seas, and becomes Kew's first unofficial director on his return. 1772: Francis Masson, Kew's first plant collector, goes to South Africa and returns with thousands of plants. 1773: Capability Brown creates the Hollow Walk, now the Rhododendron Dell. 1788: HMS Bounty goes to Tahiti with two Kew gardeners and collects 1,000 breadfruit plants. En route to Jamaica, the crew mutinies. 1802: King George III unites the Richmond and Kew estates. 1840: Kew transferred from the Crown to the government. Sir William Hooker is appointed director. The Gardens are opened to the public. 1841: Joseph Hooker brings plants from Falklands to Kew in glazed Wardian cases, a new way to keep plants alive on voyages. 1848: The Palm House -a grand glass structure housing palms and tropical plants - is completed. 1852: The Herbarium is built. Today, after five extensions, it holds over seven million specimens. 1863: The Temperate House - a showhouse for Kew's largest plants - opens. 1876: Jodrell Laboratory is built. Work begins on plant pathology, and later on cells that produce latex. 1889: Titan arum (corpse flower) blooms at Kew, the first time outside its native Sumatra. 1896: Women are first employed as gardeners at Kew. 1899: Temperate House is completed. 1911: Japanese Gateway 'Chokushi-Mon' is presented to Kew. 1913: Suffragettes attack glasshouse and burn down Kew's tea pavilion. Two are jailed. 1939: Dig for Victory! Vegetables and medicinal plants are grown at Kew to support the war effort. 1952: Crick and Watson discover structure of DNA; a breakthrough that underpins Kew's current scientific research on genetic diversity of plants. 1965: Seed research begins in Kew's Plant Physiology department. 1987: Princess of Wales conservatory is opened. 1997: Wellcome Trust donation enables construction of the Millennium Seed Bank. 2003: Kew Gardens is officially inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Davies House opens. 2009: The Queen and Prince Phillip visit to celebrate Kew's 250th anniversary. The Herbarium and Library are extended to accommodate 30,000 items added each year.
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Kew Gardens to close glasshouse for four years in net zero drive
Kew Gardens will close one of its glasshouses for up to four years as part of a net zero drive. The Grade I-listed Palm House contains a world-leading collection of tropical plants and is home to the world's oldest potted plant, an Encephalartos altensteinii from 1775. Along with its sister Waterlily House, it is one of the main attractions for visitors. Bosses at the tourist attraction, which opened in 1848, say its gas boilers, which were installed more than a century ago, are creaking and plan to replace them with heat pumps. The collection, which also includes 45 species on the verge of extinction, towering palms and passion plants, will be moved to temporary glasshouses while the work is underway. Plans for the scheme were submitted to Richmond-upon-Thames Borough Council last week and will be paid for with grants and private money. Palm House and Waterlily House will become the first net zero glasshouses in the world when the project is complete. 'It's a huge undertaking' Each glass plane will be removed and recycled before tougher replacements are fitted and secured with modern sealants to retain heat and humidity. Its iron ribs will be stripped, repaired and finished with the same shade of paint used when it opened. 'It's the kind of project you dream about, but it is a huge undertaking and responsibility,' said Tom Pickering, head of glasshouse collections at Kew. 'The aim is to make the Palm House energy efficient while retaining all the magic of what it is today in terms of planting and horticulture.' 'The Palm House and Waterlily House represented the latest in design and build at the time of their construction, but they are showing serious signs of deterioration and are not at all energy efficient,' said Richard Deverell, Kew's director. 'Without urgent work, these iconic listed buildings and the vital tropical plants they protect are at risk of being lost forever. 'Transforming them is an epic opportunity to use innovative technology to deliver net zero glasshouses fit for the 21st century. 'Architects, engineers and Kew's expert horticulturalists have already dedicated several years to testing and designing features that will position the Palm House at the forefront of innovation once again, and breathe new life and longevity into these cultural treasures.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Rare endangered plant at Kew Gardens blooms for the first time in the UK – but it's only for 48 hours
A rare and endangered plant is flowering for the first time in the UK – but it'll only bloom for approximately 24 – 48 hours. Flowering in the Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens, Pseudohydrosme gabunensis is as elusive as they come. It's never been displayed publicly at Kew before, as, until recently, there were just two plants in the collection. Now, however, history will be made with this rare tuber, which has 'the smell of something decaying'. Although, the unpleasant odour actually helps this short-lived plant survive in the wild. 'When it reaches maturity, it starts to produce an odour, a distinct aroma. It smells like old socks,' Tom Pickering, head of glasshouses at Kew Gardens, tells The Times. 'It's a really unusual occurrence, and it's quite spectacular. It's a very strange flower. I wouldn't say it's strikingly beautiful, but it's very odd, with amazing colours and an amazing shape.' With a brownish yellow outer and red interior, this unique, horn-shaped plant – native to Gabon in Central Africa – is classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species, mainly due to habitat degradation and loss of habitat to urban expansion and agriculture. In 2022, Kew was lucky to have three flowers in short succession. This enabled botanical horticulturists to successfully pollinate the plant and produce new seedlings, some of which were shared with Cambridge Botanic Garden. Botanic gardens like Kew play an important role in the conservation of endangered plants in the wild. Think of it like an insurance policy – it means, in the worst-case scenario, if an endangered species goes extinct, there's the possibility of reintroducing the plant in the wild. Pseudohydrosme gabunensis is much like the famous Titan Arum (commonly known as the corpse flower) which is in the same plant family and blooms just once every few years for only 24 hours. Follow House Beautiful on TikTok , Instagram and Pinterest You Might Also Like 7 hallway mirrors to create the illusion of space 13 bedroom wallpaper ideas to transform plain walls 12 garden furniture sets perfect for outdoor entertaining
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Old socks' flower that only blooms for 48 hours makes first UK appearance
A flower that only blooms for 48 hours and smells of 'old socks' is being shown in public for the first time in the UK. The Gabon false hydrosme at Kew Gardens, which is listed as an endangered plant, only blooms for a 48-hour period of time and becomes exceptionally pungent in this window. It is expected to reach peak smelliness and full bloom in the coming days and visitors to Kew will be able to experience the process in the Princess of Wales Conservatory. Scientifically named the Pseudohydrosme gabunensis, the plant is around 20in tall and is native to the lowland forests of Gabon, in central Africa. The lifecycle of the plant builds to a maximum smell that is designed to mimic decomposing flesh in order to entice flies. The smell, along with the dark red interior of its leaves, is intended to entice and trap bugs who will then aid with pollination. 'They're quite short-lived flowers and that's why they produce a lot of volatile compounds – a lot of smells,' Tom Pickering, the head of glasshouses at Kew Gardens, told The Times. 'They make sure that when they are in bloom, they are drawing pollinators in for that short period of time.' The plant was pollinated three years ago from other blooming specimens that did not go on display. Now, the team at Kew is hoping the first publicly displayed bloom will impress visitors. 'It's a really unusual occurrence and it's quite spectacular. It's a very strange flower,' Mr Pickering said. 'I wouldn't say it's strikingly beautiful but it's very odd, with amazing colours and an amazing shape.' Another plant that is found at Kew and is famed for its foul odour is the so-called corpse flower, which blooms every two years and is up to 10ft tall. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
