Following the immense success of the Palm House at Kew Gardens, architects Decimus Burton and Richard Turner were commissioned to collaborate on another glasshouse for the gardens- the Temperate House. The goal of the house was to house plants from temperate regions. The glasshouse measures 628 feet long, significantly longer than the Palm House. It is currently the oldest Victorian glasshouse still standing today. The Temperate House first opened its doors in 1863, while still under construction. 

The original sections of the glasshouse are the central block and its octagon shaped glasshouse bookends the building. The north and south ends of the conservatory were not completed until 1899. 

The Temperate House works to preserve and house rescue plants that are rare or near extinction in nature. The space only houses temperate plants, so the climate is always kept above 10ºC. Originally, the glasshouse was to be used to house frost-tender plants. The glasshouse contains 10,000 individual plants and has been collecting for almost 250 years. 

The Temperate House has undergone two major restorations in the 1970s and the 2010s. Recently, stonework, urns, window frames, ironwork, statues and other relics were professionally cleaned and repaired. Most importantly, the Temperate House conducts groundbreaking research like DNA sampling and medicinal plants. 

Kew Gardens is open to visitors!