Horticulturalists at Kew Gardens face "sad moments ahead" as some magnificent trees in the Palm House will be felled to make way for a crucial renovation project. Palm House manager Will Spoelstra noted that giant palm trees, whose fronds reach the roof, are not portable and must be cut down.
The renovation is necessary because the Victorian-era glasshouse's ornate ironwork is rusted and its 16,000 glass panes are warped and damaged. These issues make it difficult to maintain the hot, humid conditions required by the rare and critically endangered plants within.
Kew's team has begun moving some of the 1,000 plants to a tropical nursery, where they will acclimatise before returning to the renovated greenhouse. Scientists are also collecting seeds and cuttings to propagate new plants. This conservation effort has already seen success, with 10 young Ravenea Moorei plants propagated after an expedition found a wild population in the Comoros islands.
The renovation project is scheduled to begin in 2027, pending successful fundraising. Kew will launch a fundraising drive this October to support the project, which is expected to last about 50 years.