Kew Gardens
Kew Gardens, ku, the popular name for the Royal Botanic Gardens, situated on the Thames River in London's Richmond-upon-Thames Borough. Within an area of 300 acres (121 hectares) is the largest collection of plants in the world. The gardens, although primarily an experiment station, are open to the public. The greenhouses and conservatories contain rare plants, flowers, trees, and shrubs from all parts of the world. There are museums and ornamental temples, including a 10-story Chinese pagoda 163 feet (50 m) tall. There is also a library. Kew Palace has many royal mementos.
The mother of George III established the gardens in 1759 on the grounds of Kew Palace, at that time a royal residence. Queen Victoria presented the gardens to the nation in 1841.