Kew Gardens is to bid for international World Heritage site status

The Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew in West London are Britain's 2002 nomination for the prestigious accolade, held by landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon. The bid has been submitted to UNESCO, and will be assessed later this year.

Kew is a visitor attraction and centre for plant research, and has been chosen for its cultural, historic and scientific significance.

Other UK World Heritage sites include Stonehenge, the Tower of London and Westminster Abbey. If Kew's bid is successful it will become the UK's 25th World Heritage site.