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The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew combine Japanese heritage with contemporary engineering.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has chosen Millboard's Embered and Burnt Cedar as part of the revival of its Children's Garden.

Embered is a richly textured and dramatically chic surface, and Burnt Cedar is a statement of smooth and charred tones, creating a symbiosis of both modern and traditional styles. Showcasing warm black and brown undertones, the project delivers a sought-after aesthetic whilst maintaining a stain and fade resistance.

Kew Gardens was established in 1759 and now houses the largest and most diverse botanical and mycological collection in the world. The Children’s Garden opened in 2018 and has transformed a previously underused part of the gardens. Designed by Landscape Architect Suzie Jewell, part of Kew’s in-house design team, it is the most ambitious design project in Kew’s recent history.

Enhancing outdoor spaces with lasting, authentic surface qualities, Millboard's product portfolio consists of a wide-ranging collection of hand-moulded decking and composite cladding from the finest pieces of oak. As a result, it boasts a refined timber grain that mimics natural timber but is engineered to offer an enhanced decking and cladding experience.

Thanks to its unique polymer resin construction, Millboard's composite decking and cladding does not deteriorate like natural wood, and remains un-matched in durability or realism by other composite decking or cladding brands. Its unique Lastane surface provides its cladding with exceptional weather-resistance, and its decking boards superb slip-resistance, even when wet - proving the perfect choice for Kew Garden's heavy footfall. Every board is produced using recycled minerals whilst containing no natural timber.

Landscape Architect at Kew Gardens, Suzie Jewell, commented: "Having previously specified Millboard products on design projects for schools, I knew that I could rely on the range for its durability and anti-slip properties, on top of its natural aesthetic".

Based in a natural setting the size of 40 tennis courts, the project resulted in four interactive gardens themed around the elements that plants need in order to grow: earth, air, sun and water. Jewell opted to use Millboard decking throughout to add resilience to the garden’s walkways and play areas, while maintaining natural beauty. This attraction was specifically created to encourage children to ‘get up close and personal’ with nature, so durability was key to the project's success.