RHS Kew celebrates 250 years

Kew Gardens is celebrating its 250th anniversary and has recently released its summer programme of events.

One of the highlights is likely to be the Investigate Seeds exhibition, which runs until September 13th.

The display will allow gardeners to learn about the first decade of the Millennium Seed Bank partnership, which safeguards over 1.5 billion seeds from ten per cent of the worlds flowering plant species.

"Our 250th celebrations are well under way and there is a lot on offer at Kew this summer," explained curator Nigel Taylor, who said there has never been a better time to visit the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) site.

As part of its anniversary festivities, the attraction is replanting its rose garden to match its original 1848 design by landscaper William Nesfield.

To commemorate the year, RHS is launching a new rose variety called Rosa Kew Gardens.

Plant lovers will be able to grow the white and yellow thornless flowers in their own garden from October, with its first bloom expected in summertime.

The RHS recently announced the first day of the Chelsea Flower Show has already sold out.