Alistair Hardaker
Image: Palm House Summer 2023 (Ines Stuart-Davidson © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew secures landmark £5m donation for Palm House and Waterlily House renovation, reaching one third of £60 million target.
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has secured a £5 million donation from The Julia Rausing Trust towards its Palm House renovation project, marking the largest philanthropic gift to date for the project.
The funding will enable renovation of Kew’s Waterlily House, including transformation of the heating system to achieve net-zero operation. The donation also contributes to the wider Palm House renovation project, which aims to create the first heritage net-zero glasshouses of their kind.
“We are incredibly grateful to The Julia Rausing Trust for this visionary gift and becoming an early supporter.” said Richard Deverell, director of Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. “It will not only help us protect the extraordinary heritage of the Waterlily House but might inspire others to consider donating to help us renovate these iconic buildings.’
The institution has now secured almost one third of the £60 million required for the project. In July, Kew submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames for the renovation work.
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Simon Fourmy, Chief Executive, The Julia Rausing Trust, said: “Kew’s work as a global leader in botanical science and horticulture is well known, and The Julia Rausing Trust is proud to be an early supporter of this project. We hope others will join us in supporting Kew with this important fundraising campaign.”
The Palm House, constructed between 1844 and 1848, and the Waterlily House, opened in 1852, last underwent renovation in the 1980s. Both buildings are showing serious signs of deterioration.
The renovation represents the first time renewable options will be used to power the glasshouses, transitioning from their historical progression through coal, oil and gas heating systems. Funders to date include Defra, The Julia Rausing Trust, World Monuments Fund, and anonymous donors.
