Until September 9th Kew Gardens will be celebrating the Mediterranean climate, flora, fauna and cuisine with some spectacular new attractions and displays. For those of us who can’t go abroad this summer, the sandy beach next to the Pavilion Restaurant will be an enticing prospect. Dotted with palms, grasses and Californian poppies, it will be a sunny space where parents can relax and children can play.
A Mediterranean garden has been created around King William’s Temple, made up of cork oaks, stone pines and beautiful Tuscan olive trees. Unusual and unique plants and shrubs will be on display in the Rock Garden, the Gravel Garden and the Grass Garden, so there will be plenty to see as you wander around in the sunshine. For a romantic hand-in-hand stroll, head for fragrant Lavender Avenue - guaranteed to look and smell as pretty as it sounds!
Lovers of Mediterranean cuisine won’t want to miss the authentic Spanish olive grove, or the display of over 100 different chilli plants in and around the Water Lily House. Kew’s horticulture diploma students will be showcasing their impressive vegetable plots and the Queen’s Garden herb plots will include Mediterranean favourites like sage, lavender and rosemary. However, arguably the most magnificent display of the season is the Pizza Garden which uses bedding plants split into segments to create an enormous pizza dotted with herbs to show many of the ingredients used in this popular dish.
If that whets your appetite, you can enjoy freshly prepared food at the Orangery, the Victoria Café and the Pavilion - all great for lunch and afternoon tea. If you prefer to cook for yourself, visit the Kew Gardens shops and stock up on olive oil, authentic Italian pasta, and jams made from traditional recipes, without any preservatives or colourings. Also on offer are bath and beauty products - infused with lavender, olive and lemon - and a range of Mediterranean plants to brighten up your garden.
There are free tours of the Mediterranean displays each day and an interactive ‘Plants and Smells’ exhibition for the kids. Children can also join in with the Treasure Hunt, meet Big Bug Man and his insect friends, and play in the ‘Climbers and Creepers’ indoor play-zone.
The nearest tube station is Kew Gardens station, and you can also take a Southwest train from Waterloo and be at Kew Bridge rail station in 30 minutes. Entry is £12.50 for adults (£10.25 concessions) and children under 17 go free, so it’s great value and good fun for the whole family.
Conveniently located next to the Gardens’ main entrance is the ‘Botanist On The Green’ - a beautiful and welcoming pub with a good selection of ales, a European-style menu and popular Sunday roasts. For those with more money to spend, Anthony Worrall Thompson’s ‘Kew Grill’ is also nearby, serving up homely but impressive dishes like fish pie with buttered peas and huge hamburgers with homemade fiery ketchup. With its décor of rustic wood, rough brick walls and comfortable banquettes; it’s a warm, friendly and traditionally English place to spend an afternoon.
