Palm House, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond upon Thames, London, c1955-c1980. A view of the Palm House in Kew Gardens, seen in the distance from the east side of the pond and with a sculptural group in the centre of the pond in the foreground. The Palm House dates from 1844-1848 and was designed by iron founder Richard Turner and architect Decimus Burton. It is iron and glass with a central chamber with a continuously curving glass roof, and two long wings that extend north and south, and reach a length of 362ft. In the centre of the pond in the foreground is a bronze group of sculptures, showing Hercules fighting a serpent, on a plinth that also acts as a fountain.