[The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Surrey.
The most impressive botanical garden in the world.
Formed in 1759 by Princess Augusta (widow of Frederick, Prince of Wales).
From its original 9 acres it grew to over 300 acres.
In 1722 it was amalgamated with the garden of Richmond Lodge.
George III had Sir Joseph Banks as his botanical adviser, but after George's death
the gardens were neglected until 1841 when they passed into the hands
of the Government.
Two directors, Sir William Hooker & Sir Joseph Hooker, from 1841 to 1885
built up the prestigious reputation the gardens now hold]
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18thC
Sir William CHAMBERS : Plans, Elevations, Sections & Perspective Views of the Gardens
& Buildings at Kew (1763 London)
A Description of the Gardens and Buildings at Kew, in Surrey (c1770 Brentford)
Curtis's Botanical Magazine (1787 onwards, London)
William AITON : Hortus Kewensis, or a Catalogue of the Plants Cultivated in the Royal
Botanic Gardens at Kew (1789 London. 2nd Ed)

19thC
HOOKER'S Icones Plantarum (1837 onwards, Kew)
F SCHEER : Kew and Its Gardens (1840 London)
Sir W G HOOKER : Kew Gardens, or a Popular Guide to the Royal Botanic Gardens
(1847 London)
Kew Gardens with Pleasure Grounds & Park : A Handbook Guide for Visitors (1851 London. 4th Ed)
P H GOSSE : Wandering through the Conservatories at Kew (1856 London)
Nelson's Handbooks for Tourists : Kew, Richmond, Twickenham and Hampton Court
(1859 London)
The New Popular Guide to the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew (1868 London)
D OLIVER : Official Guide to the Kew Museums : A Handbook to the Museums of Economic
Botany at the Royal Gardens, Kew (1861 London)
John SMITH : Records of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew 1822-1864 (1880 London)
Kew Bulletin (Formerly Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Kew) (1887 onwards, HMSO)
Kew Guild Journal (1893 onwards, Kew Guild, Kew)
Index Kewensis (1896 onwards, OUP)

1901-1950
Kew, Royal Botanic Gardens : The Wild Fauna & Flora of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
(1906 Bulletin of Misc Info)
William J BEAN : The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Historical & Descriptive (1908 Cassell)

1951-1970
W B TURRILL : The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Past and Present (1959 Herbert Jenkins)
W B TURRILL : Joseph Dalton Hooker - Botanist, Explorer & Administrator (1963 Nelson)
Mea ALLAN : The Hookers of Kew 1785-1911 (1967 Michael Joseph)
Alice M COATS : A History of Horticultural Explorers (1969 Studio Vista) (1970 McGraw Hill)

After 1971
Kew Record of Taxonomic Literature (1971 onwards, HMSO)
Ronald KING : The World of Kew (1976 Macmillan)
Wilfrid BLUNT : In for a Penny - A prospect of Kew Gardens - Their Flora, Fauna
& Falballas (1978 H Hamilton)
Lucile H BROCKWAY : Science and Colonial Expansion - The Role of the British Royal Botanic Gardens
(1979 Academic Press NY)
C LYTE : Sir Joseph Banks - 18thC Explorer, Botamist & Entrepreneur (1980 David & Charles)
(Ed) F Nigel HEPPER : Royal Botanic Gardens Kew - Gardens for Science & Pleasure (1982 HMSO)
Ray DESMOND : Kew - The History of the Royal Botanic Gardens (1996 Harvill & RBG £25)
Toby MUSGRAVE, Chris GARDENER & Will MUSGRAVE : The Plant Hunters - 200 Years of
Adventure & Discovery Around the World (1998 Ward Lock)