Kew Garden, England (Part I)
japra | Apr 30, 2009 | Comments 23
On Tuesday, my good friend S and I visited the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This year, the garden is celebrating its 250th birthday!
The garden is huge: 121 hectares or 300 acres. We were there for three hours and probably saw less than half of it. And we were being relatively zippy about it too. I am not sure you can really see all of Kew in a day.
The entrance to the garden is a very short walk from Kew Garden Station.
The iconic Palm House was built in 1844-48 by Richard Turner (designed by Decimus Burton). The building is made of handblown glass and wrought iron and its design was based on an upturned ship’s hull.
Inside, you can climb a spiral staircase to get a different view of the palms.
It was so warm inside the Palm house that there was condensation on the windows and my camera lens fogged up. It wasn’t that cold outside, probably in the low 60s, but it was very hot and humid inside the glass house. It reminded me a lot of Texas.
A view across the top of the south wing (Africa) of the Palm House.
“Museum No 1″ is located across from the Palm House and showcases the Plants + People Exhibition. My friend asked me if I wanted to go in, but it was too lovely a day to spend it inside.
The Waterlilly House was built in 1852. Those giant water lillies seemed big enough to sit on!
The Princess of Wales Conservatory was opened by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1987 and has 10 climate zones. I recognized many plants inside this glass house! I thought the carnivorous plants were particularly interesting. The windows were open a bit in this section, and I wondered if the plants lure in enough insects for their food, or do they need to be fed by the gardeners?
This is such a cool looking structure–the Alpine House. It opened in 2006.
Inside, there’s a sail to help shade the plants. I wish we had one of these in our conservatory!
Kew has a number of “follies” or decorative buildings. Here’s the Temple of Aeolus.
I bet this Rose Pergola will be stunning in a month or two. You can see it in bloom here.
I liked these natural trellises. That’s the Rose Pergola in the distance.
This beautiful wisteria is growing on a large metal gazebo.
S and I had a lovely lunch at the Orangery Restaurant. Of course, we sat outside! Can’t waste a bit of sunlight in England. I won’t include a photo of my lunch because my soup sloshed all over. Oh, okay, I’ll show you.
I had mushroom soup, a breadstick, and Dandelion and Burdock soda. I can’t say I liked the soda very much. It tasted like a really strong rootbeer (which I normally like) with a bit of cough syrup thrown in (that’s the part I didn’t like). I drank it, but I wouldn’t order it again.
Part II tomorrow.
Filed Under: Blog • Destinations • Featured • London • Outdoors • United Kingdom
About the Author: JaPRA is an expat Texan living in England with her husband (Mr. DJ), their 17-year old daughter (Roxi), and their dog Trudy.
Oh my! So beautiful! I could get lost in there and never want to leave.
Kat, if it hadn’t been for my carpool duties, I would have stayed a lot longer ;-) Aren’t the gardens here amazing?
When we were in London a couple of years ago we wanted to visit Kew Gardens but all the other ‘must sees’ on the list grabbed us first. We’re hoping to go back for a few days in the summer and Kew will be top of the ‘to see’ list.
Great photos.
Akelamalu, I know! It’s so hard to cram it all in–too much goodness in London. I bet Kew is wonderful in Summer. Especially the roses :-)
Absolutely stunning! I can’t really imagine the palm house being hot and humid but then, I have a hard time really imagining the way greenhouses work, especially in cool climates. I know they do work, I just can’t fathom it, lol.
Xoan-Wahn, I had on a light jacket and a scarf when I went into the Palm House. After about 30 seconds, all that outerwear came off and I was down to a short sleeve shirt. Since you lived in Florida, I know you know what the air felt like inside… think May in the tropics! I swear, my mascara was running by the time we were done in there.
Great to see the place is still in tip top condtion. I haven’ been there for over twenty years, it hasnt’ changed much by the look. Dandelion and Burdock? That bring back my childhood memories
Maddog, now I am curious! Have you lived in England before? I take it from your bluebell comment yesterday, you’re living somewhere else now? And you like Dandelion and Burdock!! It’s strong tasting stuff ;-)
I haven’t been to Kew in years. They have summer concerts in the evening . . . such a fantastic night out if it is WARM.
Looking at your pictures makes me realize how little of Kew I’ve actually seen, though. It amuses me that I was at Wisley yesterday while you were strolling around Richmond. As you said, you just can’t “afford” to waste any good weather in these parts.
Bee, I was laughing about your WARM comment. I bet the concerts are amazing there. But I am such a country bumpkin that all I can think of is: will there be a train running late enough to carry me home?
I wonder if it is possible to really see all of Kew? There is so much!
I am glad to hear you were out enjoying the nice weather too :-)
Heavens!
This is such a treat, Y. I had no idea about the Princess of Wales conservatory. How incredibly cool!!
Chris, I’m glad you liked the pics! Yes, those glass houses are incredible. It is an amazing place. Wish I could have stayed all day!
Oh, that rose pergola is so beautiful in bloom! And those waterlilies make me think of Thumbelina and all those fairy tales.
Christine, oh my gosh, I can’t believe you thought of Thumbelina! I was going to say that but couldn’t remember the story exactly. Oh, I just looked it up and no wonder I blocked it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thumbelina). I think the mole scared me. Hey, I was 4! I’d probably like the story now ;-)
And yes, that pergola must be wonderful through the summer!
you know L was about 4 or 5 and also hated that movie because it scared her. I think I just liked the song the prince sang.(let me be your wings)..if that’s the right movie I’m thinking about.
LOL your poor sweet daughter. I’ve never seen the movie! I’ll have to check it out.
I’m sighing for the pergola of roses. Sigh…
Mimsy, I know it! I love how I can enjoy these gardens without attempting any black thumb gardening of my own. How is your beautiful garden these days? I heard there was quite a storm the other day. Lots of flooding?
Forget three hours. Even two days would not be enough. I have only been twice to this terrestrial wonder and I always leave feeling unsatisfied, because I want to see more, mind. Your photos are fantastic. And the second part (which I’ve just read, yes, a back to front motion there, sorry :-D) is very well-written with amazing shots. Many thanks.
Greetings from London.
Now I REALLY hate that I missed going to Kew!
I did buy a Dandelion & Burdock 2 liter soda at Tesco because the name was just too good to pass up trying. I liked it, but only a little at a time. It reminded me more of Dr. Pepper….
Oh, yes…lots of flooding. Our son’s car flooded at 4 a.m. in the parking lot of his apartment complex while he slept peacefully. We are waiting to hear that it’s totaled. We shall have to help him buy another. Rats!
Oh no, Mimsy! It is almost better if the car is totalled. We’ve had a couple of inches of water in our cars from flooding and you know how that smelled after one day in the Texas sun–even with professional deep carpet cleaning. Yuck!
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