Kew Gardens
/ˌkjuː ˈɡɑːdnz/
/ˌkjuː ˈɡɑːrdnz/
- a park in west London, which contains a large collection of plants, trees, etc. from all over the world and is a major centre for the study of plants. Its official name is the Royal Botanic Gardens and it was opened to the public in 1840 by Queen Victoria. It is very popular with tourists and local people, and among its famous buildings are the Chinese Pagoda (= a tall tower) and several very large greenhouses, including the Palm House (opened in 1848). Kew Gardens became a World Heritage Site in 2003. see also Joseph Banks