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Address: Richmond.

Set Up:

My first trip to Kew Gardens were with some friends from out of town. It was mid-March and it was certainly coat weather but not intolerable. On the visit over I had an inkling that I’d read about Kew Gardens in certainly one if not two James Bond books. My hunch was confirmed as I went to my trusty source, James Bond London by Gary Giblin. Here is an excerpt,

According to M in chapter 20 of On Her Majesties Secret Service, the orchids are cared for by a chap called Summerhayes who’s the orchid king at Kew Gardens. You may also wish to view the tropical and subtropical species donated by a certain ‘Dr Guntram Shatterhand’. His valuable contributions to Kew, as well as to a ‘Disneyland of Death’ in Southern Japan, are detailed in chapter 7 of You Only Live Twice.

James Bond and Kew Gardens

Another resource I found from the RGA website below,

Which lead me to a quest to find the orchid emporium. Only there wasn’t one signposted, the staff had never heard of it neither. On the Map & Guide there was an emporium and library but that was closed off to the public. You can see it listed on the map in the bottom right hand corner.

Overall it was a relaxing walk, if not a bit pricey at over £22 a head. You can buy membership for the year and enter for free at £77, but I didn’t really want to pay that much in that moment. With the membership you can bring someone else in for free.

I’ve emailed Kew Gardens to enquire further about the orchid emporium. Right now as M would say the trail has run cold. I will update this article over time.

Update:

Thank you for your email.  I believe you are referring to the Orchid Library and Herbarium.

Closest Bond Location: Hammersmith Bridge from No Time To Die.

Closest Pint: Within the grounds itself, The Orangery.