To some, trees are green monuments; emerald cathedrals that augment our landscape and bewitch us with their folklore; to others they are vital for survival, providing shade, food, fuel and medicine.

Indeed, Britain’s own history is entangled with the oak, yew, ash, and other trees that clothe our countryside and it was not so long ago that we used them for everything from weapons to water carriers. The world of trees is an immensely diverse and vitally important one.

Kew holds over 14,000 trees in its 132 hectares: a unique mix of the rare, ancient, useful and beautiful. In Kew’s Big Trees you can discover how one of the world’s best tree collections came to be; learn the stories behind 20 of its most intriguing trees and find out just why trees are so important to us all.