Palm House

The Palm House is a wrought iron and glass greenhouse in Kew Gardens measuring approximately 363 feet in length and housing tropical plants across multiple temperature zones. A raised walkway inside allows visitors to view the plant canopy from different heights, creating a layered viewing experience.

Architect Decimus Burton designed this pioneering glass building completed in 1848, introducing new construction techniques that blended shipbuilding methods with architectural principles. The innovation created a new model for greenhouse design and influenced similar structures built afterward.

The building showcases tropical plants from around the world that cannot survive in European climates, allowing visitors to experience vegetation from distant regions. Walking through the warm, humid spaces feels like stepping into another continent without leaving London.

The building is open year-round, allowing visitors to plan visits during favorable weather when viewing the plants is most enjoyable. The raised walkway makes it possible to see the plantings from multiple perspectives, creating a complete understanding of the interior layout.

Inside lives one of the world's oldest potted plants, an Eastern Cape giant cycad from South Africa, which has resided here since 1848. This ancient plant sits in its original container and has outlived virtually every other indoor plant culture in existence today.

Location: London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

Inception: 1848

Architects: Decimus Burton

Part of: Kew Gardens

GPS coordinates: 51.47917,-0.29278

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:59