As temperatures once again plummeted across London this week there was one place that certainly didn't feel the effects of the cold.

The temperature inside Kew Gardens’ Princess of Wales Conservatory hit a balmy 22°C as the outside world struggled to carry on in sub-zero conditions.

Visitors to the gardens could soon get a look inside this colourful haven as it opens its doors to the public next month.

And if the snows of last February - the worst in 18 years - fall again, the aptly-named Tropical Extravaganza could offer a well-timed escape from the British winter.

Organisers of the event promise to transport visitors from the snow and ice of London to an orchid oasis in the conservatory.

Visitors will be invited to wander through tunnels coloured by thousands of tropical plants to a vibrant display of orchids and bromeliads on the island of the glasshouse’s central pond.

The extravaganza is the first of a series of events at Kew to celebrate 2010 as the UN's International Year of Diversity. It offers the opportunity to learn about the characteristics of orchids and their vulnerability in the wild.

Visitors will be able to learn even more on “behind the scenes” tours of the Kew's orchid nurseries, which are usually closed to the public, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Barbara Boyle, who runs the tours, said: “The tours will show everything about the science and care behind growing orchids. It's lovely when the weather is cold and miserable outside, to come into this wonderful spectacle.”

The Tropical Extravaganza runs from Saturday, February 6, until Sunday, March 7.

For more information, call 020 8332 5655 or visit kew.org.