Is it just me or does the Palm House look like the upturned hull of a ship? That’s because its architects borrowed techniques from the shipbuilding industry. No one had ever built a glasshouse of this size before. Welcome to the Palm House at Kew Gardens. It’s more than just a pretty glasshouse. It is a journey into a world of tropical wonders.
The Palm House specializes in growing palms, plus other tropical and subtropical plants. Completed in 1848, many of its plants are endangered or extinct in the wild. One of the special features of the Palm House is the upper walkway. It takes you right into the branches of the larger plants.
Initially, ornate glass and iron greenhouses were status symbols in Victorian Britain. Several examples can still be found in botanical gardens and parks. The Palm House was the first greenhouse to be built on this scale. It was also the first large-scale structural use of wrought iron.
Sir William Hooker was appointed Director of the Royal Botanic Garden at Kew in 1841. As part of his plan to improve Kew’s image, he asked Decimus Burton to design a new Palm House. Decimus and Nicole Burton completed the design. However, Richard Turner was primarily involved. It was built between 1844 and 1848.
Turner knew of greenhouses’ problems with heating, ventilation, and structural issues. Some accounts say that Turner sent his plan of the Palm House to the Building News. Thomas Drew also wrote to the Building News claiming that the Palm House was solely his design. He claimed it was varied out under the supervision of Mr. Decimus Burton.
In 1881, flowerbeds in front of the building were redone and gravel paths were removed. The flowers at the back of the Palm House and the low areas required modified drainage.
The Palm House is home to the oldest pot plant in the world. It is an Encephalartos altensteinii. It was moved to the Palm House in 1848.
The Palm House used to be completely green. The first curator of Kew thought green glass panels would provide extra shade for the plants. This caused many problems for plant growth. This was especially true with the industrial pollution from the 1890s. It was later recognized as a mistake.
The Palm House has undergone two renovations. One was between 1955 and 1957. The second was between 1984 and 1988. During the latter, the Grade I listed building was completely dismantled, restored, and rebuilt.
Robins and wrens nest in our Palm House. They enjoy the warmth of the tropical climate inside. A female Chinese water dragon called Techno lives near the papaya.
The Palm House team must stay well-hydrated. The conditions are difficult at first, especially during the summer months. One of the perks of the job is that they get to eat the bananas and other tropical fruit produced in the house.
There are 16,000 panes of toughened glass. Some of which are curved and very expensive. The panes are cleaned inside and out by professional glass cleaners every other year. The floor is power-washed four times a year.
Many rare and threatened species grow in the Palm House. These include several palms endemic to tropical islands. Important scientific work takes place in the Palm House. This includes DNA research and finding new medicines.
The Palm House is heated by a gas boiler in Kew’s Shaft Yard. It circulates hot water through pipes around the house and underneath the paths. The temperature is maintained to a minimum of 18C. A misting unit keeps the relative humidity above 75%.
As you leave the Palm House, remember the ingenuity and vision that brought this glasshouse to life. It’s a living testament to our enduring fascination with the natural world.