Kew Palm House renovation requires moving its tropical plants out

Kew Gardens is relocating plants from the historic Palm House ahead of a planned five-year renovation that aims to make the Victorian glasshouse carbon-neutral. The work includes temporary 'decant' houses, specialist moving and propagation, and a physical rebuild scheduled to begin in 2027.

The Palm House at Kew Gardens is being cleared of many of its tropical plants ahead of a major renovation. The glass and wrought-iron Victorian conservatory houses about 1,300 plants and 935 species, a large share of which are threatened. Staff have begun moving specimens into warm, moist temporary "decant" houses and propagating backups where full relocation is impractical. The project aims to update the building's systems and make the Palm House a low-carbon model while maintaining its historic character. Key details: - The glasshouse collection includes roughly 1,300 plants and 935 species, with about one third listed as threatened, according to the article. - Plant transfers began in the autumn; some specimens up to five metres have been containerized, while larger trees may require cranes or will be regrown from seed, cuttings, or air-layering. - Certain plants cannot be moved because of size, spines, or age; examples noted include the spiny Aiphanes eggersii, the ancient cycad Encephalartos altensteinii, and the ivory nut palm that requires external pollen for seed. - The building has about 16,000 panes of glass, rust and energy-efficiency issues, and will receive new glazing, humidification and water systems, and heating via air-source heat pumps replacing gas-fired boilers. - Kew plans a five-year programme for the full renovation, with physical works scheduled to begin in 2027, and a fundraising target around a projected £60 million for the Palm House redesign. - The stated goal is for the renovated Palm House to be carbon-neutral and ultimately carbon-negative by 2030. Summary: The renovation requires moving vulnerable tropical plants into temporary decant houses, propagating replacements where relocation is impractical, and upgrading the Palm House's infrastructure to improve energy performance. The project is planned as a five-year programme with physical work to start in 2027, ongoing fundraising, and a target for the conservatory to reach carbon-neutral or better status by 2030.