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‘Sad moments ahead’: Kew Gardens to fell rare trees in race to save Victorian greenhouse
Horticulturalists begin moving and propagating plants before the rusty and warped Palm House begins renovation – but some are too tall to save
TL;DR
- Kew Gardens' Palm House requires renovation due to structural issues like rusted ironwork and warped glass, hindering the maintenance of essential conditions for rare plants.
- Some of the Palm House's magnificent trees, particularly giant palms too tall to move, will have to be felled to facilitate the renovation.
- Plants are being moved to a behind-the-scenes tropical nursery, where they will acclimatize before returning to the renovated greenhouse.
- The renovation project offers significant conservation benefits, including successful propagation of critically endangered species like Ravenea Moorei and Aiphanes eggersii.
- Kew Gardens is launching a fundraising drive in October to support the renovation, which is expected to last approximately 50 years.
- The project has already contributed to saving plants from extinction and aims to serve as a blueprint for horticultural conservation and reintroduction into the wild.