Kew Gardens had its busiest-ever month and sold more tickets than ever before.

More than 58,000 visitors came to the Royal Botanic Gardens in the first week of August, of which 31,310 were paying visitors, representing double the figures for the same period last year.

On Saturday, August 6 alone, 18,650 people entered the gardens.

The spike can be attributed to a combination of factors, Kew Gardens said, including the first-ever science festival which was held at Kew from August 3-5.

Great weather, increased overseas tourists to London and a summer of programming designed around the new Hive installation and the Great Broad Walk Borders have also contributed.

Director of marketing and commercial enterprise, Sandra Botterell said: “These record-breaking visitor numbers are evidence that fresh attractions, such as The Hive and our first ever science festival, are hitting the right notes with Londoners and growing numbers of tourists.

“The gardens provide a stunning world class backdrop for an inspiring day out. “Everyone who visits can soak up its beauty and take away something new about the vitally important world of plants and fungi.

“We are so proud of the enormous effort Kew staff and volunteers put in to make Kew one of London’s leading attractions.

“This unprecedented success will inspire us to explore future festivals and events to continue attracting a diverse range of visitors and providing an unforgettable experience for all.”