Over more than two centuries, from the time of George II’s wife, Queen Caroline, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew have developed into the remarkable institution we know today. Ray Desmond’s authoritative illustrated history traces their 200-year evolution. It highlights the achievements of distinguished garden designers such as ‘Capability’ Brown and Charles Bridgeman who worked at the gardens and describes the buildings – the creations of eminent architects like William Kent and Decimus Burton – which make Kew so distinctive. Ray Desmond also outlines the very significant contributions Kew has made to scientific development and discovery over the years and underscores the primary objective of the gardens – ‘the better management of the earth’s environment by increasing knowledge and understanding of the plant kingdom.’ Ray Desmond has been Chief Librarian and Archivist at Kew and his richly illustrated and informative book is the first history of the gardens to make extensive use of Kew’s own archives.
