Press Release

Happy Kew Year!

Celebrate at Kew Gardens as it enters its 250th year

29 November 2008 – 4 January 2009

Come to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (RBG Kew) to celebrate a special Christmas and New Year this winter. From exploring the glistening Gardens to skating on London's most beautiful ice rink, Kew offers a fun festive day out for all the family.

On New Year's Day the Gardens will open free of charge as a gift to the Nation, starting twelve months of festivities for its 250th anniversary in 2009. The year ahead will see Kew Gardens looking more spectacular than ever to celebrate its glorious history and important contribution to plant conservation.

Enjoy a traditional Christmas

13 December 2008 – 1 January 2009

See the Gardens sparkle with decorations for Kew's Christmas festival. Meet Santa in his grotto, set in enchanted woodland with twinkling lights (12pm to 3.30pm, 13 to 23 December), ride in a traditional horse and carriage, or get your face painted in Kew's botanical play zone, Climbers and Creepers. Explore the wooded glade in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, surrounded by statuesque forest trees, British plants and the homes of foxes and badgers. A carousel will be on Kew Palace lawn throughout the festival and you can join in carol singing on the lawn during the opening weekend (3pm ,13 and 14 December).

In Climbers and Creepers, the annual ‘Plantomime' – a pantomime with a plant-inspired twist – will return with a fairytale that also reveals a little about plant conservation (30 minutes, 11am , 1pm and 2pm on 13, 14, 20, 21, 22 and 23 December). Climbers and Creepers will run a programme of Christmas activities during the school holidays, including evergreen crafts such as wreaths and yule logs (19 December to 5 January, please see www.kew.org nearer the time for session times and activities).

Pop into White Peaks Children's Shop next door for unique childrens' gifts, designed especially for young plant explorers. Swap overcrowded stores in the city for a relaxing shopping experience at Kew Gardens' Victoria Plaza, with a range of traditional and luxurious gifts.

For adults, afternoon tea in the Orangery will be accompanied by seasonal live music (2pm, 13, 14, 20 and 27 December). Take a stroll following our self-led guided walk through Kew's hidden gems as recommended by staff, join a guided walk through the seasonal garden or find out more about conifers on a tour of the Pinetum by Kew's Volunteer Guides (12pm, daily).

Author and BBC Gardener's World presenter Sarah Raven will talk about her new book giving ideas on food, flowers and decorations for the Christmas season (7pm ,11 December, £5) There will also be a Christmas wine tasting session, perfect timing to help choose wines to serve with your Christmas meal this year! (6.30 – 8.30pm, 4 December, £25 per person). Come along to the evening to sample 10 different examples, including champagne, a selection of red and white wines, port and dessert wine. The evening will be based in Decimus Burton's elegant Grade II listed building, Museum No.1. For booking information Tel: (020) 8332 5000/ 5626 Email: adulted@kew.org.

Skate in a magical setting

29 November 2008 – 4 January 2009

Skate in style at London's most magical real-ice rink, set in front of the world's largest Victorian glasshouse. Relax in the Ice Rink Café with warm drinks and festive snacks while watching skaters glide past.

View glistening trees from a unique perspective

See new views across the frost-covered gardens and further afield to the London skyline from the 18 metre high Xstrata Treetop Walkway. The Walkway in winter will give a new experience as you walk a 200 metre circuit up high among sweet chestnuts, limes and deciduous oaks that have lost their leaves for the winter. Visitors start their treetop journey in the depths of the Rhizotron, learning about the fascinating root systems and underground life of trees.

Ends

Notes to Editors:

For further information about Kew's Christmas Festival please contact Bryony Phillips, Catherine Owen or Bronwyn Friedlander in the Kew Gardens press office on 020 8332 5607 or email pr@kew.org.

Images are available at www.kew.org/press/images, please contact the press office for the username and password.

For all Ice Rink media enquiries please contact goody@pwrevents.com or call 020 8241 2365.

Visitor information

Opening hours: 9.30am – 4.15pm until 7 February 2009. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day only. 3.45pm Last entry to the Gardens, the Glasshouses, galleries and the Xstrata Treetop Walkway

Admission: Adults £13, Concessions £12, free for children under 17 (accompanied by an adult) Santa's Grotto is included in the entry fee, children receive a souvenir badge. Skating: Skating tickets are additional to Garden entry, joint tickets available. Visitor enquiries: 020 8332 5655 or info@kew.org Website: www.kew.org and www.kewgardensicerink.com

Ice Rink

Opening hours: 10am – 10pm, 29 November 2008 – 4 January 2009. Closed Christmas Day only. Peak time is evenings from 5.15pm, weekends and 24, 26 and 31 December. Admission: Adults £11.50/£10 (peak/off-peak), Concessions £9.50/£8. Children under 17 £8/£7.50, Family £32/£30, Spectator £1. All the viewing areas and Café Ice are accessible to skaters and spectators. Visitor enquiries: 020 8332 5655 or info@kew.org. Website: www.kew.org Booking: www.kewgardensicerink.com or www.seetickets.com 0844 412 4642 or www.ticketmaster.co.uk Booking fees apply. All tickets use the ‘Print at Home' ticket system, See tickets will post out on request. Tickets are available in person at Victoria Gate from 29 November. Schools and groups: 020 8241 9818 or groupbookings@pwrevents.com

The Rhizotron and Xstrata Treetop Walkway

Xstrata plc is a global, diversified mining group listed on the London and Swiss stock exchanges. They were inspired by the concept of the Treetop Walkway, seeing it as an imaginative and relevant project.

Construction materials supplier Hanson, part of the Heidelberg Cement Group, set up The Hanson Environment Fund in 1997, using landfill tax credits accumulated by the company, to support environmental and community initiatives from not-for-profit organisations. More than £17.5 million was distributed before the fund closed to new applicants in 2006, supporting hundreds of worthwhile projects across the UK. As a lasting legacy, the fund's final £1 million has been awarded to the Rhizotron.

The remainder of the funding comes from Defra, who fund half of the annual costs of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, plus two un-named individuals.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Kew Gardens is a major international visitor attraction and its 132 hectares of landscaped gardens attract over one million visitors per year. Kew is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2009. The site houses over 40 listed buildings and other structures including the Palm House, Temperate House, Orangery and Pagoda as well as two ancient monuments, Queen Charlotte's Cottage and Kew Palace. RBG, Kew is a world famous scientific organisation, internationally respected for its outstanding living collection of plants and world-class herbarium as well as its scientific expertise in plant diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the world.

There are a wealth of collections held at Kew that offer an opportunity to explore some of the lesser known aspects of RBG Kew's rich history and heritage and its present day role. For a behind-the-scenes look at RBG Kew please contact pr@kew.org.

For further Press information please contact: