The document provides a history of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew from 1759 to the present. It describes how the gardens were established in the 18th century and expanded significantly in the 19th century under Director William Hooker. Many iconic glasshouses were built during this period, including the Palm House and Temperate House. The 20th century saw further expansion of the gardens and buildings, including surviving World War II with minimal damage. Today, the gardens house some of the most important botanical collections in the world and remain an important center of botanical research.