Yesterday was my birthday and I decided to treat myself to a trip to Kew, which re-opened (partly) a couple of weeks ago, although you have to book a time slot so they can restrict number entering. Also I discovered after I had arranged my time slot, they do say you should still stay away if you have to travel by public transport... but as you now have to wear face coverings on public transport, I decided to take the risk.
It's been 3 and a half months, 14th March, since my last visit.... much has changed obviously - and for most of that time Kew was closed anyway.
I travelled safely by train and mighty strange it felt to be on a train again after all this time, the trip going was fine, hardly any people about. It has also been a month since I had my dizzy spell and I haven't had any significant exercise since...
there was a socially distanced queue for the 10 am slot when I arrived.
7
and I headed for my starting point...
obviously Kew has been in lockdown like the rest of the country and staffing levels are down.
So they have prioritised what they are maintaining and what they are leaving.
the Parterre is one of those left.
it was raining - not as hard as it was when I woke, luckily - and thankfully a lot cooler than the last couple of days.
daisies growing in the wall of the pond at the Palm House
you can't see the rain...
I headed down the Broad Walk first
sad to have missed all the Spring beauty, that was just coming out when I was here in March, but it was lovely to be back!
the lilies were fab
and the euphorbia
scabious
the alliums in the Broad Walk have already gone to seed - still gorgeous, but missed all that colour!!
everything was a little more wild than usual, in the borders due to the limited people working
it was looking good though
and you can't beat poppies!
it was windy so the smaller flowers were proving awkward
the Hive had closed for maintenance before lockdown which has obviously stopped work, so that was unavailable to visit too
so I stuck to my favourite macros!
allium drifts - different stage of flowering on these
at the end of the Broad Walk was a mobile pop up refreshment van but a long (ish) queue so no stopping.
instead I cut across the grass
through some trees
this is one of the Heritage Trees, one of the oldest at Kew
but it's sign has fallen over, blown out of the ground at some time
brick pattern caught my eye at the Secluded Garden
the water at the water feature was off
I've always liked these slate towers
the water has obviously been off a while and no-one's dusted!!
grasses on a bank in front of the Princess of Wales glasshouse
all the glasshouses are shut so you can't go inside any of them, I wonder how the Chinese Water dragons are...
outside the POW
I walked along the top path of the Rock Garden
from where you can see through the windows of the POW through to the main pond area.
the water on the inside window is from the carnivourous room but you can see the waterlily leaves
I went down to the lower level of the rock garden
and through to the Aegius Evolution Garden.
it decided to rain hard again here
the Rose Pergola is looking good though
all of a sudden the sun came out
the Eryngium were shining in the sun
I got carried away with them
bees were loving them too
iridescent delphiniums
drifts of alstromeria lilies
some later flowering allium varieties here still had colour
and agapanthass coming out
raindrops on a day lily
at the far end of the Evolution Garden, bordering the student patches is a bed that is full of poppies and cornflowers and
some yellow daisy like flowers...
left wild, I love them!
it was raining again harder ... and windy
they won't stay still for me!
I had to shelter under some trees for a while, as none of the buildings are open there was no respite from the rain... hadn't thought that through not bringing the umbrella!
but in the end I headed for the rose garden
the rain lessened again for a while
although the Temperate House is closed to visitors the doors at the end were open for ventilation and there was someone inside watering
through the (closed) central door
can't wait to be allowed inside again sometime!
Headed for the lake...
nettles
never really looked at them before
the lake was looking.... green!!
lots of ducks and gees, and a couple of swans
as I neared the far side of the crossing, I noticed some huge fish
koi carp, I assume,
there were 4 or 5 of the black ones
I walked up to the end of the lake still in the rain.
I would have liked to sit a while (all that walking I wasn't used to!) and eat my snack I'd taken with me but all the benches were soaking wet or the ones under trees already occupied, so I ate on the hoof!
I love this - think it's a smoke bush??
and you know me and water drops!
wet pines!
monkey puzzle tree in the sun (contrary weather!!)
beautiful big Broom
lavatera
cistus, soaking wet
I walked round to the other side of the Temperate House
the sun was coming out now, and so I decided to walk back to the rose garden
where the benches were dry enough to sit on for a few minutes
as I said on FB - ignore the big hair!
can't wait for my hairdressers to re-open (they're getting ready!) .....
big sky!
then I headed back round the front of the Palm House
where it was looking a lot brighter than a few hours previously
but I decided to head back down the Broad Walk and for home
Kew was getting busier - although you book a time slot to enter, you can stay as long as you want - and I knew the trains would be busier than this morning, so it was time for home
they were too, and some people were ignoring the face covering rules so I was glad to be on my way home
but what a joy to be back - looking a bit wilder than usual (aren't we all!) - I hope you've enjoyed visiting again too.
I don't think I'll go back to my every week visits just yet, but hope it won't be too long before I do go again.
Thanks for looking
My feet and back ached a bit by the time I got home, but on the whole I coped well with the unaccustomed walking, so all was well.
8 comments:
Fabulous return post Helen! You know how I love the wild and unregimented look so many if tgese pics really appeal to me. Still lots of gorgeous blooms and things to see and you did really well with all that walking and no proper rests. Glad the rain didn't spoil your first return visit. Xx
H i so enjoyed your post again... Love your photos of Kew as i will never see it in person i sure do appreciate your time... Hugs! deb
The youngsters and I talked last night. They had already seen your post, but I had not because I was so busy elsewhere. Today I have a chance to properly see the photos and read all about the changes at Kew.
Ironic that the place you like to start will change the least until next year. At least the grass around the Parterre beds has been cut back and there are no weeds in the beds that I could see.
Ah, the color combinations of the poppies and the purple flowers. I love that color combination. I loved the bark on the Heritage Tree. Bet that you were glad you skipped the queue to stop for a beverage.
You showed us things you don't normally share when Kew is in full swing, like the bricks in the Secluded Garden and the slate in the water feature.
At first I was surprised you weren't allowed into any of the glass houses, but then it made perfect sense. Nothing says Virus Spreader better than a bunch of people walking through misted and watered plants. I'm surprised the youngsters didn't tell me about this, but I guess they didn't see the need or else wanted me to be surprised. Who knows. They're kids and kids think differently than adults. They DID comment on your Eryngium, which they had to look up and learned it was also called Sea Holly.
For some reason, I thought the lake looked sad and desolate. And ugly green, too.
Your hair looks a lot like mine (minus the red) before Scot cut the sides and back a few days ago. We haven't reopened our salons yet, either.
I was glad to read you could stay as long as you wanted, so it was wise to book the early morning entrance. It's amazing how we get out of practice doing things like walking five milesor so a day since the lockdown. SO happy you got to go, and I'm also glad to read you made it home safely. I can relate to you not going back for awhile this summer. Thanks for taking us, though.
I'm so glad you have been able to return to Kew at last, Helen. I can feel your happiness to be back! Your photos are all absolutely stunning... such gorgeous flowers. I have to say I find the allums quite beautiful, and I think they were my favourite! - but like you, I do have a soft spot for poppies. I love the slate towers too. There's something rather magical about the fact that parts of the garden have reverted to a more wild state, and it's lovely to see it looking less manicured.
Thanks for sharing! I almost feel as if I have been there myself.
Shoshi x
Oh what a wonderful post and how lovely to see you back at your favourite place, a shame the weather wasn't a little kinder, I love all the photos, the colours of the flowers are stunning, but the rose pergola is one of my favourites, what a beauiful photo.
I hope you've had a grand week
xxx
Hi Helen, lovely to share the walk with you. Bit surprised that you said some people were ignoring the face covering rule as I thought they were going to refuse to let them travel which is a bit worrying. Bet the fish are loving the green water in the lake. I know some people will look at it and not like it but it's actually a sign of a healthy pond and the fish and ducks love it too. It prevents a high level of nitrates developing as it consume it as food and give off oxygen. Of course too much and you can't view the pond. Hope you get chance to visit again soon. Hugs, Angela xXx
So happy to see you back here as I know you have been waiting ages! We have noticed on our recent garden visits that they are getting them back slowly and have chosen to leave some areas wild this year! You have very kindly shown pics of three of my favourite blue flowers, Scabious(all time favourite), cornflower and an early view of an agapanthus! I wish folk wouldn't think it smart not to follow the mask rule! Hope you can get back again before too long! Hugs, Chrisx
It must have been such a strange feeling to be back again after so much time away. And though it's sad to have missed the spring changes, it must have been wonderful to arrive and find so many glorious flowers in full bloom. I love the Eryngium - glad there are lots of pictures of that - and I rather like the slightly wild look in places where they have had to cut back on staffing and pruning and trimming!
Thank you so much for taking us with you, and saving us the risk and the journey. Sad to hear there were people without face coverings - we really need proper instructions to enforce it if we're ever going to get any kind of grip on infections outside of lockdown, I think.
Alison x
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