WHAT? Of the Oak  

WHERE? Kew Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London TW9 3AE

WHEN?   Now until 28th September. 

WHY GO? For the latest tree tech. Offering ‘hug a tree’ lovers a real treat, an exciting new interactive tree installation has been created (or should I say grown) on a mound beside the Syon vista of Kew Gardens celebrated Palm House.  

This six metre high interactive installation celebrates the venerable Lucombe Oak, one of Kew’s oldest trees, and rather like an x-ray, it records the inner rhythms of the oak.  Visitors can walk around and synchronise their breath-work to the rhythm of the tree.  

Forget the mediative benefits of yoga, this is tuning into nature in its purest form!

Created by world famous experiential artists Marshmallow Laser Feast who share Kew’s passion for trees, this installation combines scientific and horticultural data to record the seasons and is truly magical. 

Over at Kew's Shirley Sherwood Gallery meanwhile, it’s all about The Power of Trees, an exhibition that reveals secrets of the forest through botanical artworks and innovative video installations including Eija-Liisa Ahtila’s multi screen imagery of a spruce tree in Finland’s boreal forest which has become a firm favourite with tree huggers world wide.

IN THE KNOW  After extensive conservation work, Kew’s Victorian Marianne North Gallery has just reopened. This unique gallery features the intrepid Victorian artist’s meticulous botanical paintings recording her travels, all displayed in geographical order. 

Check out The Remarkable Miss North beforehand on Kew’s YouTube video before you visit.