Join us for the IPS Midterm in London!
REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED!
Join us in London, England, as we explore the world-famous Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, off the beaten path from the other well-known tropical and subtropical countries we are used to.
Hosted by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, we will be welcomed by Dr. William J. Baker, Senior Research Leader at Kew, and Dr. John Dransfield, retired staff member and Honorary Research Fellow at Kew. We will also have time to visit the Chelsea Flower Show and Kew in the country, Wakehurst Place in West Sussex and enjoy plenty of time on your own to sightsee.
REGISTRATION CLosed
ITINERARY
Day 1. SunDAY, May 21 | Arrival Day.
Day 2. Monday, May 22 | Kew Herbarium.
We will gather together at Kew in the Lady Lisa Sainsbury lecture theatre on Monday morning May 22, where, on behalf of Kew, Bill will welcome us, give introductory remarks and then a presentation about Palms of New Guinea. We will then walk to the Herbarium to view the palm collections and perhaps rare palm books in the Library before we all walk across the gardens (10-15 minutes) to The Pavilion Grill for lunch. After lunch, we will split into groups to visit the Palm House, The Temperate House and, if time permits, the often forgotten Marianne North Gallery where you can travel the world in flower paintings and palm hunting! This is a particularly nice thing to do if it rains. Towards the end of the afternoon, members would be free to wander off.”
TIME
At your leisure
DESCRIPTION
Breakfast
LOCATION
On own.
TIME
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
DESCRIPTION
Formal welcome from Kew’s Director of Gardens, Richard Barley. Followed by a presentation by Dr. William Baker. Coffee, tea, and pastries provided.
LOCATION
Lady Lisa Sainsbury Lecture Theatre (Kew)
TIME
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Guided tours by Drs. Baker and Dransfield: Palm Herbarium and the rare palm book library.
LOCATION
Kew Herbarium
TIME
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
DESCRIPTION
Lunch
LOCATION
The Pavillon Grill (Kew)
TIME
1:30 PM (open until 7:00 PM)
DESCRIPTION
Guided tours by Drs. Baker and Dransfield: Palm House, Temperate House, and the Marianne North Gallery (if time permits)
LOCATION
Kew
TIME
At your leisure.
DESCRIPTION
Evening on own.
LOCATION
On own.
Day 3. Tuesday, May 23 | Chelsea Flower Show.
TIME
At your leisure.
DESCRIPTION
Breakfast
LOCATION
On own.
TIME
8:00 AM – 8:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Chelsea Flower Show. VIP tickets included; transportation and meals on own.
Show is open from 8AM – 8PM.
Please note: there is a strict no re-entry policy (meaning there are no in and out privileges).
LOCATION
Chelsea Flower Show
Day 4. Wednesday, May 24 | Board Meeting.
TIME
At your leisure.
DESCRIPTION
Breakfast
LOCATION
On own.
TIME
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Board of Directors Meeting; Coffee/tea & breakfast pastries included.
LOCATION
Kew Herbarium – Brenan Suite
TIME
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Lunch; included.
LOCATION
The Botanical Brasserie (Kew)
TIME
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Tours (transportation on own):
- Option 1: Palm Centre
- Option 2: Kew
TIME
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
DESCRIPTION
Closing remarks with Dr. Dransfield. Coffee/tea and biscuits provided.
LOCATION
Lady Lisa Sainsbury Lecture Theatre (Kew)
TIME
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Dinner included. Seasonal 3-course prix-fixe menu.
LOCATION
Coach & Horses Hotel (walking distance from KEW)
Day 5. Thursday, May 25 | Wakehurst Place.
We’d be delighted to host the International Palm Society at Wakehurst. I would offer a welcome and introduction to our botanic garden before handing over to Iain Parkinson, Head of Landscape & Horticulture who will give you a brilliant tour. The Millennium Seed Bank could split the group in two for tours of the vaults."
TIME
At your leisure.
DESCRIPTION
Breakfast
LOCATION
On own.
TIME
9:00 AM
DESCRIPTION
Depart hotel for Wakehurst (transportation included)
LOCATION
Pick-up at Elisabeth Gate on Kew Green, next to Herbarium
TIME
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Explore our wild botanic garden in the heart of Sussex, home to the Millennium Seed Bank, over 500 acres of diverse landscapes and plants from across the globe. Welcome and introduction from the Head of Wakehurst Place.
LOCATION
Wakehurst Place
TIME
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Lunch on own
LOCATION
Wakehurst – Stables Kitchen
TIME
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
DESCRIPTION
Tour Millennium Seed Bank
LOCATION
Wakehurst Place
TIME
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
DESCRIPTION
Depart Wakehurst. Drop-off will be at the pick-up location.
LOCATION
Drop-off at Elisabeth Gate on Kew Green, next to Herbarium
TIME
At your leisure.
DESCRIPTION
Dinner
LOCATION
On own.
DAY 6. FRI MAY 26 DEPARTURE DAY.
About the Speakers
Dr. William J Baker
Senior Research Leader
He is a systematic biologist, working in the fields of taxonomy, phylogenetics, evolution, biogeography, and conservation of flowering plants. His work draws extensively on biological collections, especially at RBG Kew, spanning herbarium, lab, and field to address fundamental questions in plant diversity research. Current research interests include:
- The angiosperm tree of life – He leads Kew’s Tree of Life Initiative in which they aim to complete the angiosperm tree of life by sequencing all 13,600 genera using the universal genomic toolkit Angiosperms353.
- Palm systematics and taxonomy – Palms are a model group for tropical research and are of immense ecological and economic importance. He has specialized in the taxonomy, systematics, and evolution of this fascinating family for the past three decades.
- Applications of the tree of life – He is interested in exploring uses of the tree of life (and the data that underpin it) in broader comparative and applied research. Recent studies have addressed questions in global biogeography, biome evolution, speciation, trait evolution and sustainable management of natural resources.
Dr. John Dransfield
Honorary Research Fellow
He was educated at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and gained his Ph.D. under Professor E.J.H. Corner in 1970 with a study of two Malaysian palm genera, Eugeissona and Johannesteijsmannia. He went on to devote his working life to palm research, working first in Indonesia for four years on palms specializing in the rattans, the climbing palms that are the source of cane for cane-furniture. In 1975, he continued palm research at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew where he was head of Palm Research until his retirement in 2005.
He continues his research as an Honorary Research Fellow. He has completed several consultancies on rattans for FAO, British Overseas Development Agency, and the Commonwealth Development Corporation. Much of his work since retirement has been devoted to the palms of Madagascar, palms of New Guinea, and palm generic delimitation.
Hotel Recommendations
Travel and hotel accommodations are procured on your own. Below is a list of hotels close to Kew. Registration secures your spot for the trip only.
| Hotels Near Kew | Distance to Kew | Website |
| Clayton Hotel Chiswick & Conference Centre | 20-minute walk to Kew Garden | Claytonhotelchiswick.com |
| Kew Gardens Hotel | 15-minute walk to Kew Garden | Kewgardenshotel.com |
| Coach and Horses | Across the street to Kew Garden | https://www.coachhotelkew.co.uk/bedrooms/ |
| Richmond Hotel | 20-minute bus ride to Kew Garden | https://www.richmondhill-hotel.co.uk/ |
| The Waterfront by Holiday Inn | 35-minute walk to Kew Garden | https://www.thewaterfrontbrentford.com/ |
| Travelodge Richmond on Thames | 15 minutes to Kew Green on 65 bus direction Ealing Broadway | https://www.travelodge.co.uk/ |
| Travelodge London Kew Bridge | Brentford, 10 minutes to Kew Green on 65 bus direction Kingston | https://www.travelodge.co.uk/ |
| Premier Inn, London Kew Bridge | Brentford High Street, 10 minutes to Kew Green on 65 bus direction Kingston | https://www.premierinn.com/ |
GETTING AROUND LONDON
To help you get around London, it is highly advisable to purchase a Travelcard or Oyster Card.
WHAT IS A TRAVELCARD?
The London Day Travelcard allows you to enjoy unlimited travel on London’s public transport, including bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground, Elizabeth line, and National Rail services in zones 1-6. To get to Kew, your Travelcard must include Zone 3.
WHAT IS AN OYSTER CARD?
An oyster card is a prepaid card. You must pay a deposit when buying and can recharge your balance as needed. The nice thing is you don’t need to choose your transport zone; instead, it can be used for all zones in London. The price is calculated by the zones you have used. And at the end of the trip, you can recover the funds you have not used.
RESTAURANT Recommendations
There will be opportunities to dine on your own throughout the week. Below is a list of recommended restaurants nearby.| Name / Location | Cuisine Type | Website |
| Ma Cuisine / Kew | French | https://www.macuisinebistrot.co.uk |
| Albany Spice / Brentford | Curry | https://www.albanyspice.com |
| The Black Dog / Brentford | Pub | https://www.blackdogbeerhouse.co.uk |
| La Trompette / Chiswick | Michelin star (reservations are highly advisable) | https://www.latrompette.co.uk |
Cancellation policy and terms of payment:
There is a $500 non-refundable donation and $150 service fee for cancellations.