Kew at Work

Marianne North at her easel, circa 1883

Photograph of Marianne North (1830-1890), botanical artist, pictured here in Grahamstown, South Africa circa 1883.
Marianne North generally travelled unaccompanied, an extraordinary feat for a Victorian lady, only occasionally using letters of introduction to enable her to stay with the associates of those she met on her travels. Between 1871 and 1879, she visited Canada, the United States, Jamaica, Brazil, Japan, Sarawak, Singapore, Java, Sri Lanka and India. In 1880, Marianne met Charles Darwin, whom she regarded as 'the greatest man living, the most truthful as well as the most unselfish and modest'. On his suggestions, she set off on a further voyage, this time encompassing Australia and New Zealand. In 1882 she visited Africa, the final continent left unrepresented in her work.

© RBG KEW

Preparing the soil for Palm House bedding plants

Gardeners prepare the soil for the Palm House bedding plants, RBG Kew

© RBG KEW

Bedding, Beds, Horticulture, Methods, Palm House, Parterre, Preparing, Rbg Kew, Soil, Terrace, Tools

Women Gardeners (drinking tea) 1939

Women Gardeners (drinking tea), RBG Kew, 1939. A tea break was only instigated at Kew after Minnie Hill made a personal appeal to the director, Sir Arthur Hill, and just ten minutes each afternoon was allowed. L-R Else jensen, Margaret Lancaster, Betty Cooper, unidentified, Jean Sharps, Frances Sharps.

© RBG KEW