The Palm House at Kew Gardens is an astounding architectural wonder which is the brain child of well- renowned architects Decimus Burton and Richard Turner. It is a world-famous Grade 1 listed building. This building was constructed between the years 1844 to 1848, and it stands at an impressive 363 feet long. It is 100 feet wide & 66 feet high. The greenhouse type building is made with iron and glass. With its curvaceous exteriors and steamy interiors, Kew’s Palm House has since long, been recognized as an icon of the Gardens.

Founder Turner and architect Burton worked in unison to create this magical botanical landmark. Burton desired that the construction should closely resemble the lake of George III so that he could catch its reflection in the lake. Turner came up with the brainwave of using a wrought iron “deck beam” structure used in ship building for a greater unsupported area.

The Palm House, Kew Gardens in London is conveniently located 1 kilometer from Kew Bridge, London, 1.5 kilometer from Gunnersbury Bridge, and 2.5 kilometer from Chiswick Bridge.

Construction of the House

The Palm House was created mainly for the exotic palms being collected and introduced to Europe during the early Victorian times. Even though the Palm House was designed by Burton, it definitely had elements of style and design which was unique to that of Richard Turner. The design element was borrowed from shipbuilding and this is clearly visible by the upturned hull.

To nurture the tropical plants, heat was required. Initially boilers were placed in the basement, which heated the water pipes under iron gratings on which the plants stood in great teak tubs, or in clay pots on benches. The smoke from the boilers was led away through pipes in a tunnel under the Palm House Pond to the elegant Italianate Campanile smoke stack 150 m (490 ft) away. There was a small railway in the tunnel as well, which was used to transport coal the Palm House boilers.

Unfortunately, the basement got flooded in the year 1848. It took many years to lower the water levels. Then in 1853 the floor level of the boiler room was raised. This however led to the unfortunate effect of reducing the amount of draught to the flues, which hampered the efficiency of the heating system, making certain parts of the Palm House too cold.

Around the Palm House

The area surrounding the Palm House forms the heart of the 1850s Nesfield and Burton landscape. Small plots of open lawn and formal flowerbeds vie for attention along with an ornamental lake, clumps of mature trees and open vistas. Keynote buildings such as the Waterlily House dominate the area. Over the years, this accretion of design activity has resulted in an assortment of landscape characters, making the Palm House as one of the most fascinating and varied areas of Kew.

Things to Look Out For

There is a stunning glasshouse near the Victoria Gate entrance. At one end you can also see the world’s oldest pot plant, a Cyrad.

In the South Wing you can find plants from Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. The African oil palm, also known as Elaeis guineensis can also be found here. This plant is one of the most important oil-producing plantation palms in the Tropics. A rare triangle palm known as Dypsis decaryi which is from Madagascar is also found here.

The main central section showcases plants from the Americas. Here plants such as cocoa, rubber, banana and papaya grow alongside Mexican yam (Dioscorea macrostachya). The Mexican Yam was used to develop the contraceptive pill.

The North Wing contains plants from Asia, Australasia and the Pacific. Here you can come across climbing palms called rattans. These are used to make cane furniture. A variety of Asian fruit trees such as mango, breadfruit and jackfruit can be found here.

Rose Garden

The historic Rose Garden which is situated behind the Palm House was rebuild to celebrate the 250th Anniversary. When the garden is in bloom during the spring and summer months, you can witness a riot of colors which is indeed an attractive sight.

Getting There

Address

Victoria Gate
Kew Road
Richmond
TW9 3ABc

Nearest Station

Kew Gardens Tube or Kew Bridge Station

Timings

1 April to 31 August: 9.30am to 6.30pm daily (7.30pm weekends)

1 September to 24 October: 9.30am to 6pm daily

25 October 2009 to 6 February: 9.30am to 4.15pm

7 February 2009 to 27 March: 9.30am to 5.30pm

(closed 24, 25 December)

Facilities and Amenities

• Toilet WC
• Picnic site
• Café/restaurant
• Car parking
• Disabled access
• Baby changing area

Birr Castle Demesne is Ireland’s award winning gardens, is set in one of Ireland’s most beautiful Georgian heritage town.  Spanning across more than 120 acres of parkland, Birr Castle Demesne includes lakes, rivers, fountains, wildflower meadows and much more. It is much frequented place not only by tourists, but also by the locals. Birr Castle Demesne offers a combination of fun, relaxation and discovery to all who visit.

Birr Castle Demesne is the kind of destination that can interest and engage a serious gardener, a landscape designer or family for an entire day. It is the largest garden in Ireland, and the grounds at Birr Castle is made up of both formal and informal gardens, exotic tree collection, a breathtaking beautiful lake, a fernery, wildflower meadows, and much more. This area also boasts of the world’s tallest box hedges. These grounds are also home to an astounding collection of rare species of plants from all around the world, including over 40 champion trees of the British Isles.

Birr Castle Demesne is world-famous for its exotic tree and plant collections, rivers and lake, formal gardens, terraces and wildflower meadows.

History

The Demesne is home to Ireland’s Historic Science Centre, which allows visitors to travel back to the time of the earlier Earls and Countesses of Rosse. Birr Castle Demesne boasts of award winning gardens which are the largest in the Country. Even after 13 generations, it still remains the family home of Earl and Countess of Rosse and their family. While the main house is not open to the public, one may wander through the scenic and panoramic gardens. These gardens were created way back in the year 1935 with the view to celebrate the marriage of the Earl’s mother who was also instrumental in establishing the design of the garden. Two Bavarian urns dominate the center of the garden. These urns are over 300 years old. Surrounded by hedges containing openings shaped like gothic style windows, these formal gardens derive inspiration from the layout of a monastic cloister.

For almost 400 years each of the Parsons family have worked on and contributed their unique features to the Demesne. As with every family, each generation of owners at Birr has its own interests. This truly reflects in the amazing combination of plants, astronomy, engineering, and more, all in one place. One can find an amazing variety of some of the oldest and tallest boxwood hedges in the world, as well as over a 1000 variety of trees and shrubs.

The garden has evolved under the loving care and attention of its owners, the proof for which is still there for all to see. By the 18th century, work on the landscape turned the bog into a lake, and trees were planted. The year 1826 saw the appearance of a suspension bridge, which was indeed an engineering feat at that time. This bridge was built over the river. It was in the middle of the 19th century that the third Earl of Rosse built the largest reflecting telescope known at the time. The uncommon shrubs and trees which can be found now were the efforts of the sponsored plant exploration trips by the fifth Earl.

It was during the 1930s, that the sixth Earl and his wife, who hailed from a well-known horticultural family in England, created the formal gardens known as the Cloisters, now also called the Millennium Gardens. The millennium gardens reflect a French style formal garden and includes plants exclusive to the demesne. It also proudly displays some beautiful pathways of hornbeam cloister. The seventh Earl and his family continue the tradition, making Birr a fine garden and much more.

Visitor Information

Birr Castle itself remains a private residence, still owned by the Parsons family, so public visitation is not permitted. But visitors are welcome to walk around the Birr Castle Demesne. For garden enthusiasts a visit to Birr is a treat indeed, encompassing some 120 acres of gardens that span four centuries of gardening styles.

During your visit, you would be transported to a time when Birr Castle was a hub of scientific discovery and innovation. The interactive museum reveals the wonders of early photography, engineering and astronomy. One special interesting feature is the third Earl’s telescope. This telescope is a leviathan creation, which was the largest in the world for more than 70 years.

Between visiting the science center and the gardens plan for a fair amount of walking. After taking in all the wonders, you can unwind with a hot cup of tea or coffee in the signature Courtyard Cafe. A visit to the Discovery Shop is recommended where you can purchase a unique gift as a reminiscence of your trip.

Tours

Booking a tour is perhaps one of the best ways to obtain more in-depth information about The Huntington Gardens. Trained and professional staff provide various tours, based on age and requirement. Special tours are available for adults, K-12 school children, and tour groups. Pre-booked guided tours as well as educational tours for primary and secondary schools are also available. Free audio tours are also available for some exhibitions.

Group Tours

The Huntington offers Estate, Chinese garden, and Tea & Tours. Please note you would need to make reservations at least one month in advance for all group tours.

Tea & Tour

What is better than a piping hot cup of English tea after a relaxing and enjoyable day touring the garden? Enjoy a private morning tour followed by English tea in the Huntington’s Rose Garden Tea Room. Please note reservations are required at least one month in advance for Tea & Tours.

School Tours

The Huntington offers both guided and self-guided school tours. The guided school tours are available during non-public, morning hours. These tours are led by volunteer docent teachers. Interactive explorations of the institution’s treasures are a landmark of these tours. Self-guided school tours are welcome during regular public hours.

Free Garden Tours

Free tours of the gardens are available with general admission or membership. These tours can be availed of between Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday between noon and 2 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Please note, timings may vary depending on volunteer availability, You may have to check regarding the same with the Information Desk on arrival for the day’s schedule of garden tours. No tours available on Tuesdays and Free Days.

Getting There

The Huntington is located near Pasadena in the city of San Marino, approximately twelve miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. The Huntington has two entrance gates: one on Oxford Road, and a second entrance at Allen Avenue, just south of California Boulevard.

Address: Birr Castle Demesne, Birr, Co Offaly, Republic of Ireland
Telephone:  (057) 9120336
Fax:
Email: mail@birrcastle.com
Web:http://www.birrcastle.com
Visiting Hours
Birr Castle is open all year.
March to October hours: 08.00 -18.00
Nov – Feb hours: 10.00 – 16.00.
Entrance fees are €9.00 for adults, €5.00 for children.

Accommodation

Very good accommodation is available close to the garden.

Clonkelly House

The Clonkelly House is a charming Irish country house, located 1 km from the castle. Built to 4 star specification in the “heart of Ireland”, this place offers self catering, and is close to Slieve Bloom Mountains, River Shannon, and many more attractions.

Kinnitty Castle

Kinnitty Castle is situated close to the picturesque village of Kinnitty, and is about 1 km from the garden.

Around 27 royal mummies are stored in the museum’s Royal mummy Room. The mummies belong to the paranoiac times. In the year 1981 the museum’s Royal mummy Room was been closed down on the orders of the then President Anwar Sadat. The display was opened again in 1985 but the number of mummies was reduced. Today there are nearly 9 mummies that are kept in the display. The mummy of Queen Hatsheput which was newly discovered is also a part of this exhibition.

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities has a collection of many items that belong to the ancient Egyptian History. It has the largest collections of Paranoiac items. The treasures of King Tutankhamen are also exhibited. The museum was built in year 1835 by the Egyptian Government near the very famous Ezbekeyah Gardens. Due to the small size of the building and the increasing number of the artifacts the museum was later transferred to Boulaq in the year 1858. Later a French architect was appointed to redesign and again construct the museum. The construction of the museum’s new building was to be made in Boulaq on the banks of the river Nile. The antiquities were later shifted to a different museum in Giza as this museum was completely destroyed due to the flood that took place in the Nile River. The artifacts were later moved to the museum in Tahrir Square in the year 1092 for the last and final time.

The museum does have a ground and the first floor. The coins are papyrus which were used in the ancient world are been displayed on the ground floor. There are many papyrus pieces usually they are in small wreckage. They have been decade for nearly two millennia. Languages such as Latin, Greek, Ancient Egyptian, Arabic are found inscribed on these pieces.

The coins which are displayed on this floor are made up of different metals namely bronze, silver, copper, gold etc. The coins displayed here are not only Egyptians but also Islamic, Roman and Greek. These coins helped in the study of the trade in Egypt in ancient times.   The artifacts which belong to the United Kingdom and which belong to the era of 1550 up to 1070 BC are also displayed on the same floor. The size of these artifacts was much larger than the artifacts which were created in the earlier times. The artifacts from the United Kingdom are Coffins, statues as well as the tables.  On the floor you will find the artifacts that belongs the ancient Egypt’s last two dynasties. Many artifacts have their existence with the Valley of King.

Cairo International Airport is the nearest airport from where you can just take a car or cab to reach the museum.