In brief
Xinhua’s feature on a recent visit to Kew highlights its pivotal role in safeguarding plant life, from a century‑old time capsule to the iconic Palm House. The article underscores the urgency expressed at COP17 in Yerevan to halt biodiversity loss by 2030 and to live in harmony with nature by 2050, while noting Kew’s collaborations with international partners, especially China. It details Kew’s 17,000‑species collection, UNESCO heritage status, and ongoing restoration challenges.
Xinhua’s feature released on October 31, 2026 chronicles a visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, describing the site’s significance in preserving the planet’s plant diversity. The piece follows the journey through the gardens, the time capsule buried by David Attenborough, the Palm House’s “living rainforest in London,” and the urgent calls for action raised at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, COP17, in Yerevan.
According to Xinhua, the garden’s botanical collections started in 1759 on the former private grounds of King George II. In 2003 the gardens were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and today Kew is home to some 17,000 plant species worldwide.
Xinhua notes that in 1985, British naturalist David Attenborough buried a time capsule beneath a dark blue tile in the Princess of Wales Conservatory, containing seeds of endangered plant species. The capsule is scheduled to be opened in 2085, and Chinese scientists fear that by then the species whose seeds lie inside may have disappeared from the wild. By then, scientists fear, some of the plants whose seeds lay inside might have disappeared from the wild.
Central to Kew’s display is the Palm House, originally opened in 1848. The Victorian‑era greenhouse houses over 1,000 tropical and subtropical species, including the Eastern Cape giant cycad from South Africa and an Australian pandanus tree with roots towering above human height. The building’s design has allowed the maintenance of consistently high temperatures and humidity levels of around 80 percent throughout the year.
LIVING RAINFOREST IN LONDON
The Palm House’s nickname stems from its ability to emulate a tropical rainforest inside London’s temperate climate. However, the historic structure now shows signs of significant deterioration: rust on the framework and peeling large patches of its exterior coating. Xinhua reports that the greenhouse has undergone two major restoration projects during the 20th century, yet it continues to face structural challenges that threaten its plant collections.
A staff member, Leaf, said that to conserve the tropical plants from around the world, the Palm House maintained consistently high temperatures and humidity levels of around 80 percent. “Leaf said that to conserve the tropical plants from around the world, the Palm House maintained consistently high temperatures and humidity levels of around 80 percent.”
Following the report, the Palm House was scheduled to close for a comprehensive renovation starting next year, a move intended to address the building’s ongoing deterioration and to ensure a safe environment for the plants housed within.
During the COP17 meeting in Yerevan, Xinhua relayed several key questions: “How can biodiversity be safeguarded and humanity's relationship with nature restored?” and “How can the world achieve the goal of halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and living in harmony with nature by 2050?” These questions underscored the urgency highlighted by COP17 for global action to stop biodiversity loss.
The feature also emphasizes Kew’s extensive seed bank and international collaborations, noting that the gardens work closely with partners around the world, particularly China, to facilitate the exchange and preservation of plant genetic material. The seed bank’s holdings include a vast array of species, many of which are under threat in their natural habitats.
Through detailed descriptions of the Palm House, the time capsule, and the urgency raised at COP17, the feature frames biodiversity conservation as both a scientific and a societal imperative. It illustrates how historic gardens such as Kew can serve as living laboratories and global repositories, providing tangible hope for the future of plant life on Earth.
