The plants in the Evolution Garden show the evolution from mosses to the first flowering plants. The Garden Kitchen is the low building seen at the far right. Picture courtesy of the museum.
A Kensington Society event:
The fascinating plants in the Natural History Museum’s Evolution Garden
When: Monday 20 April 2026, 10.00 – 11.00am
Where: Natural History Museum’s Garden Kitchen café
This is another very special visit, the second of three guided tours of the new Evolution Garden, found on the southeastern side of the Natural History Museum. This first, on 2 October 2025, was a general presentation of the garden, while this one focusses on the carefully curated planting scheme.
We meet up at 10.00am outside the Garden Kitchen café if dry (if wet, inside it). Use the entrance at the corner of Cromwell Road and Exhibition Road; the café is to the right in the garden.
Head gardener Suzanne Patman will give an overview and introduce Max Harbord who will lead the tour. He has been involved in the garden since the scheme was launched. Initially as an apprentice gardener, Max was instrumental in much of the planting and has terrific knowledge of the reasons behind the plant choices as well as of the plants themselves.
The garden covers three key plant phases, starting with a time when vegetation only consisted of mosses, moving on to the first ferns, and finally to flowering plants. This was not a straightforward progress, as it was interrupted by a few “extinction events” along the way. Join us to hear more for an interesting and instructive visit. If time allows we may also take a look at the ponds and wetland garden beyond.
Please note: the tour is limited to 20 persons, so book early to avoid disappointment!
Members £20.00, non-members £30.00
Not a member?
It’s only £20 for a whole year. If you want to take advantage of the lower membership price, just become a member online first, via our membership page, before booking your ticket below.
Online booking
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We will meet up at 10.00am outside the new Garden Kitchen café.
The Garden Kitchen café is located at the back of the Evolution Garden. Picture courtesy of the museum.
The garden is full of interesting pre-historic plants. Picture courtesy of the museum.
Page published 26/03/2026
