More History and Heritage.....

1885-1945: Imperial Kew

Thiselton-Dyer

Kew Today.....

The Bamboo Garden

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Bamboo Garden

Sir William Thiselton-Dyer (Director 1885-1905) was particularly fond of design projects. One involved the reclamation of gravel pits, from one of which, in 1891, he created the Bamboo Garden.

It originally contained 40 species of bamboo which had been surviving in poor soil near the Temperate House, but under Thiselton-Dyer's instruction, senior gardener W J Bean transferred them to their new location in 1891-2. Although bamboos grow wild on every continent except Europe, these 40 original specimens were mainly from India and Japan.

There are now 135 species, making it one of the largest collections in the UK. Bamboos are woody grasses ranging in form from giant poles, through wispy variegated species, to fountains of leaves from the pendulous varieties. Some species can be highly invasive, and at Kew, these are planted within strong barriers to contain them.

In 2001, a Japanese Minka House (a form of traditional building) was built in the Bamboo Garden. It was brought from Japan and re-erected under the auspices of the Japan Minka Reuse and Recycle Association. The Minka House is used as a space for workshops, displays and other events.

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On to: Rhododendron Dell