Last Updated on 12/01/25 by Rose Palmer
I admit it-I have an obsession with all things made by master glass artist Dale Chihuly. I love the vibrant colors, the movement, and yes, the engineering and science that it takes to make his towering art installations.
Throughout my travels, I go out of my way to see his work if it is on display nearby. So, when I was in London the summer of 2019, I made it a point to have a date with the Chihuly glass exhibit at Kew Gardens.
I was passing through London on my way back home to the States and had only a one-day layover in the city. I could think of no better way to spend the summer day than strolling through the beautiful Kew Gardens, located about 45 minutes southwest of central London. The District tube line took me straight there, and the Kew station was just a few blocks from the Victoria entrance gate.
Founded in 1840, Kew Gardens boasts of being “the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collections in the world”, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The garden covers about 300 acres and is about one mile wide. You could see the highlights in a few hours, but I chose to make a day of it.
Besides the varied gardens and conservatories, there are also a number of restaurants and cafes. I always try to have an afternoon tea when I am passing through London, so on this day, I tried the tea at The Botanical restaurant inside Kew Gardens, and it did not disappoint. Besides the delicious sandwiches, scones, cakes, and tea, I also had a nice view across the pond to the Palm House and Chihuly’s Summer Sun glass sculpture.
I immediately recognized Dale Chihuly’s signature style. He has several glass forms that are unique to his workshop and which I can count on seeing in any of his installations. What makes each exhibition unique is how he and (in this case) the Kew garden team combined the glass pieces with the environment where they are displayed so that it all comes together into one harmonious space.
Whether they contrast or blend in, the glass sculptures complement their surroundings perfectly, both in form and color. The gardens became an outdoor gallery for the various Chihuly shapes.
The Chihuly: Reflections on Nature Exhibit
The Chihuly glass exhibit at Kew had his artworks displayed in twelve different locations throughout the gardens. Seeing this exhibit also provided a nice overview of many of the highlights of this beautiful and historic garden.
Sapphire Star
Visitors to Kew were greeted by the white columns of the Temple of Bellona, which formed a perfect frame for the Sapphire Star.
Shirley Sherwood Gallery
In this indoor gallery space, I could get up close and personal with many of Chihuly’s classic glass shapes produced throughout his career.
Lime Crystal Tower
This Tower was not actually made of crystal, but rather from a polyurethane material. Still, it glowed like large glass crystals when the sun shone through it.
Niijima Floats
The Japanese garden is a natural setting for the Niijima floats, which were inspired by glass ball floats used by Japanese fishermen. Were they glass floats in a sea of sand or a constellation of planets in a cosmos of stone dust – I couldn’t decide.
Temperate House
The Temperate House is the world’s largest surviving Victorian structure. There were two large white and gold glass installations outside the entrance that complemented the colors on the outside of this recently restored conservatory.
Inside, there was a long, unique hanging chandelier in shades of blue-green that complemented the large collection of temperate plants from around the world.
Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds
On one side of the Temperate House, a field of grasses displayed glass shapes that mimicked the grasses blowing in the wind.
Neodyum Reeds and Turquoise Marlins
Here, contrasting shades of turquoise and purple stood out in a sea of varied shades of green.
Scarlet and Yellow Icicle Tower
Surrounded by huge, ancient trees, the Scarlet and Yellow Icicle Tower glows amid the cooling shadows cast by the giant trees.
Red Reeds
A grouping of simple red reeds added a pop of hot color to this corner of a Lilly green house.
Ethereal White Persian Pond
This was my favorite installation. I normally love lots of color, but in this case, the simple white glass forms mimicking the blooming water lilies were breathtaking.
Paintbrushes
Here, the pops of bright yellow and red add eye-catching contrast to the green setting and hinted at the colors in the herbaceous border behind the display.
Summer Sun
It was overcast the day I was at Kew, which actually made this orange and yellow glass sun-shaped sculpture stand out even more under the grey skies.
I think Kew Gardens makes a good visit any time of year if you are touring London. My first visit to these gardens was during November, and even at that time of year, the garden and the greenhouses were a pleasure to walk through.
For a look at a permanent Chihuly sculpture in London, I go to the lobby of the Victoria and Albert Museum (museum admission is free).
For the latest information about Chihuly Exhibitions, visit https://www.chihuly.com/exhibitions .
Other related posts:
Another Chihuly post: On the Trail of Dale Chihuly – A Day in Tacoma, Washington
My story about my stay at the Atlantis hotel with one of Chihuly’s large installations: Plan a Holiday at Atlantis Dubai – My Resort Experience Like No Other
Cihuly at the New York Botanical Gardens: East Coast Meets West Coast – A Dale Chihuly Exhibit at New York’s Botanical Gardens
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
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