Kew Gardens has launched the Carbon Garden, a new permanent exhibit highlighting the vital interplay of plants, fungi, and the carbon cycle in tackling climate change. Featuring innovative design and educational displays, the garden underscores practical actions for climate-positive impact in line with Kew’s 2030 sustainability goals.
Kew Gardens, one of the world’s most celebrated botanical institutions, has introduced the Carbon Garden, a new permanent attraction designed to deepen public understanding of carbon’s crucial role in sustaining life on Earth. Originating as a modest private garden in 1759, Kew has evolved into a sprawling 300-acre UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its botanical research and conservation. The Carbon Garden, which opened in late July 2025, forms part of Kew’s ambitious, decade-long sustainability strategy launched in 2021, aiming to operate as a “Climate Positive” institution by 2030.
The garden functions as a living laboratory highlighting the interplay between plants, fungi, and the carbon cycle, emphasizing their combined capacity to mitigate climate change. Visitors can explore a variety of themed areas where 35 new trees and around 6,500 plants demonstrate not only carbon capture through photosynthesis but also broader ecosystem services such as water conservation, flood control, and soil erosion prevention. Informational panels strategically placed throughout the garden provide insights into the carbon cycle, enriching the educational experience. The site is designed to encourage visitors to consider practical, everyday actions to support planetary health, fostering climate advocacy through immersive learning.
At the heart of the Carbon Garden stands a striking pavilion commissioned from Mizzi Studio, an interdisciplinary practice based in London and Malta. The pavilion’s organic form, inspired by the symbiotic relationships between plants and fungi, features a curvilinear base that broadens before contracting and expanding at the canopy, evoking fungal fruiting bodies. Jonathan Mizzi, studio director, expressed hopes that the pavilion would symbolise a harmonious future grounded in renewable natural materials and scientific wisdom. A key element of its design is its use of low-carbon stone foundations and a natural fibre composite for the canopy, which not only minimises environmental impact but also functions to capture rainwater. This feature irrigates the surrounding rain garden, composed of native grasslands, wildflower meadows, and hedgerows, chosen specifically for their carbon sequestration potential and biodiversity benefits.
This development ties into broader efforts at Kew, which include a net-zero renovation plan for the site’s historic glasshouses, further signalling the gardens’ commitment to climate-positive operations. Funded in part by the Biffa Award, the Carbon Garden aligns with Kew’s longstanding mission to combine scientific research with public engagement, aiming to inspire visitors and school groups alike through interactive educational programmes held under the pavilion canopy.
By integrating innovative garden design with climate science, Kew Gardens’ Carbon Garden not only serves as a beautiful public space but also as a pilot project exploring practical strategies for climate resilience in the UK’s changing environment. This initiative underscores the critical transition from raising awareness to galvanising collective action for environmental sustainability, a message increasingly vital as the global climate crisis intensifies.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.archpaper.com/2025/08/mizzi-studio-carbon-pavilion-london-kew-gardens/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-in-the-gardens/carbon-garden – Kew Gardens’ Carbon Garden is a new permanent addition that highlights the vital role of carbon in sustaining life on Earth. The garden features various areas exploring the relationship between plants, carbon, and the future, including a pavilion inspired by the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi, constructed using low-carbon, natural materials. The initiative aims to encourage visitors to become advocates for nature and supports Kew’s mission to combat climate change through education and sustainable practices.
- https://www.kew.org/about/kew-announces-carbon-garden – Kew Gardens has announced the opening of the Carbon Garden in July 2025, a permanent garden designed to reveal the critical role of carbon in sustaining life on Earth. The garden will feature various areas, including a pavilion inspired by fungi and created using natural materials, and aims to inspire visitors to become advocates for nature. The project is made possible by Biffa Award funding and is part of Kew’s efforts to address the climate crisis through innovative design and education.
- https://www.archpaper.com/2025/08/mizzi-studio-carbon-pavilion-london-kew-gardens/ – Mizzi Studio has designed a pavilion for Kew Gardens’ new Carbon Garden, opening in July 2025. The pavilion, inspired by the symbiotic relationship between plants and fungi, is constructed using low-carbon, natural materials and features a sloping canopy that captures rainwater to feed the surrounding rain garden. The design aims to showcase the role of carbon in our lives and how plants and fungi can help tackle climate change, aligning with Kew’s mission to build a more harmonious world.
- https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/carbon-garden-kew – Kew Gardens has unveiled the Carbon Garden, a new permanent addition that showcases the essential role of carbon in sustaining life on Earth. The garden features various areas, including a pavilion inspired by fungi and created using natural materials, and aims to inspire visitors to become advocates for nature. The project is part of Kew’s efforts to address the climate crisis through innovative design and education, and is made possible by Biffa Award funding.
- https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/carbon-garden-kew – Kew Gardens has unveiled the Carbon Garden, a new permanent addition that showcases the essential role of carbon in sustaining life on Earth. The garden features various areas, including a pavilion inspired by fungi and created using natural materials, and aims to inspire visitors to become advocates for nature. The project is part of Kew’s efforts to address the climate crisis through innovative design and education, and is made possible by Biffa Award funding.
- https://www.kew.org/about-us/press-media/carbon-garden-kew – Kew Gardens has unveiled the Carbon Garden, a new permanent addition that showcases the essential role of carbon in sustaining life on Earth. The garden features various areas, including a pavilion inspired by fungi and created using natural materials, and aims to inspire visitors to become advocates for nature. The project is part of Kew’s efforts to address the climate crisis through innovative design and education, and is made possible by Biffa Award funding.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is fresh, with the Carbon Garden opening on 25 July 2025. The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is 24 July 2025, with reports from Reuters and Kew Gardens’ official press release. The narrative is not republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The content is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative includes updated data and new material, justifying a higher freshness score. No similar content appeared more than 7 days earlier. The update may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The earliest known usage of direct quotes is from the Kew Gardens press release dated 24 July 2025. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating original content. No variations in quote wording were found. No online matches were found for the quotes, raising the score but flagging as potentially original or exclusive content.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from reputable organisations: the Kew Gardens press release and the Architectural Review. Both are established and credible sources. The person mentioned, Jonathan Mizzi, is a verified architect with a public presence. No unverifiable entities or potentially fabricated information were identified.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative’s claims about the Carbon Garden’s features and design are consistent with information from multiple reputable sources, including Kew Gardens’ official website and the Architectural Review. The report lacks specific factual anchors, such as names, institutions, or dates, reducing the score and flagging as potentially synthetic. The language and tone are consistent with the region and topic. The structure is focused and relevant, with no excessive or off-topic detail. The tone is formal and appropriate for the subject matter.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is fresh, original, and sourced from reputable organisations. The claims are plausible and consistent with information from multiple reputable sources. No significant credibility risks were identified.
