Kew Gardens is a short story by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1919. It is set in the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London, and follows a group of people as they wander through the gardens on a summer's day. The story is narrated from the point of view of an omniscient observer, and focuses on the interactions between the characters as they move through the gardens. The characters are mostly anonymous, and their conversations are often mundane and inconsequential. The story is a meditation on the beauty of nature, and the insignificance of human life in comparison. The story ends with the narrator reflecting on the beauty of the gardens, and the insignificance of the people who have passed through them. The story is a reminder of the fleeting nature of life, and the importance of appreciating the beauty of the world around us.
By Virginia Woolf · First published 1919 · Genre: Modernist Literature, Fiction, Short Story