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With its arched French windows and high ceilings, Kew Gardens’ Orangery is a heavenly, majestic sort of place. A restaurant and venue in the heart of the gardens, it’s as ideal for Sunday brunches and dinner dates as it is for weddings and other big, important occasions.
The Orangery is already pretty glam – but it could soon get even more spectacular. Kew has revealed plans to expand the restaurant’s terrace into the neighbouring garden, which would make space for increased amounts of outdoor seating. In a proposal to Richmond Council, Kew stated intentions to extend the Orangery out over a 300-square-meter space.
And that isn’t all. Kew also plans to create an entirely new garden. Called the ‘Carbon Garden’, it will apparently enlighten visitors about the role of carbon in nature and how to reduce carbon emissions.
For those not in-the-know, Kew Gardens is one of London’s finest green spaces and has everything from glasshouses and lakes to pretty much every plant under the sun. The Orangery is just one of the gardens’ many major attractions, alongside the likes of the Temperate House and the Princess of Wales Conservatory. You can find out more on Time Out’s Kew Gardens hub here.
About the plans for the ‘Carbon Garden’, a spokesperson for Kew said that it will: ‘utilize [the] space much more effectively and introduce a beautiful, inspiring and insightful new garden for visitors to enjoy, and learn from’.
The proposals for these changes have been submitted to Richmond Council and are awaiting approval. We’re expecting to know whether they’ve been approved by February.
Keen to make the most of outdoor London? We’ve got you covered. Time Out has an extensive outdoor London hub, with everything from massive parks and secret gardens to city farms.
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