Superbloom at the Tower of London

 To celebrate Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee. the Tower of London has put on a spectacular display in the moat - running from June to September with an evolving display of wildflowers.

I have two timeslots booked, one for later in the summer when the flowers will be different . Today was my first visit.. Oh boy... it was worth visiting in a heatwave.

I arrived early at the Tower, it was just gone 10,  (my slot was for 11) but they said that as it wasn't that busy yet I could go in early.  Good thing, as it was already boiling hot 

you walk down the slope into the moat

and are greeted by an amazing display

paths weave through the flowers as you follow the  way round the moat

on the left of this photo you may be able to make out a series of steps - this is an added extra bit of fun!

In the early spring, they planted 2 million wildflower seeds to create this fabulous display, and as the seasons change, so the colourways of the flowers are changing.  

this is the added extra!  you can choose to climb the steps to then zoom down the slide 

I did. of course - no pics of me doing it as I was on my own... but it was great fun, and much faster than you would think!  I imagine that as the morning progressed, they would have had to stop people using it as the metal would have got too hot.

flowers include California poppies, Calendula  (orange)   Namaqualand Daisy (big orange daisies) Linaria  (Annual Toadflax - snapdragon like flowers, pinky white)   , Sweet William Catchfly (pink) , Annual Baby's Breath (gypsophila - white) Echium vulgare (viper's-bugloss - bluey-purple)  

I'll let you find them for yourselves

throughout your way round the moat a series of boards tell you a bit more information 

I was trying to take some on the phone to share on FB as I went round but it was too bright to see the screen well

got in a few selfies here and there 

it's hard to know what to leave out...

I left in some people in some so you can see how high the flowers are growing, and some areas they've built up a little so they are higher anyway

there are sunflowers appearing too, 

I tried to remember to vary the height I took my shots at 

and ensuring I got elements of the Tower in, to keep the context

the colours started to change into the blues and purples

loads of cornflowers

the planting went as far as you could see 

trying to get the sunflowers at the back of the moat as you couldn't walk down that side

various reds creeping in...

as you turn bends in the path that winds round, you look back at where you've come from

are you bored yet? hope not, we're barely half way

the higher parts of the Tower threw welcome shadows here and there

there were lots of people in the moat but it didn't feel crowded 

I had a panic here as my camera jammed for a moment or two, I had to faff about a bit with lenses and turning it on and off...

eventually it was ok again.  

on the other side of the path from all the vibrant colour was a calmer patch,  

there were  a few lone pink poppies,  gorgeous

the heads of the people are hidden by the height of the flowers 

if you know London, you can see we have reached the part of the moat that runs along Tower Bridge (the blue and white railings)

think this is the viper's-bugloss

loads of poppies

this is the toadflax

round about here was another information board and music playing as it explains

I look cooler than I was feeling!  

the next time I go I think these will still be in flower

the "walkie-talkie" in the distance

as we turned the next corner the path widens out and has large willow arches 

I am trying and failing to find out about them. 

we've got all this way before blogger reversed a batch of photos...

but I can't re-do them, sorry!

in the time we've taken to get to this stage, Novak has won Wimbledon....

some more of these beauties

the path divides regularly and it was hard to know which way to go... the red white and blue was gorgeous

we then come to another path that twists under a wicker structure

still growing over the wicker, so this is presumably going to develop over the next couple of months

we are nearly at the end now - 

just a couple more twists in the path

I'm not sure if you can see in this pic the sun glinting on something over the flowers

this is the final flourish 

copper (I think) insects, dragonflies, sparkling in the sun overhead

just beautiful

they hover overhead  from several supports

a final look back 

on the phone

that was truly spectacular!  thanks to Historic Royal Palaces and all involved 

leaving the exit from the moat, you are on the path running by the Thames.

there are a series of pop up dining pods along the river bank 

they look very enticing but I do hope they are air conditioned!!  

I joined the (short) queue to go into the Tower itself  (separate tickets required) 

and had a quick look round

pausing at the ravens

the White Tower

it was too hot to hang around for long though, and I went and had a sandwich and drink 

I definitely wasn't going to join the queue to see the Crown Jewels in that heat (it was due to reach 29c today, but I bet in central London it was more )

I also decided not to join a Warden tour, fabulous though they are - next time!

and instead made my way out to head home

had to pause to look at the Shard

river boat tours doing big business

loads of pop up lunch options along the river

as I reached the normal entrance to the Tower I had a peek at the slide (on the left) and you can just see the start of the flowers in the moat

the final thing the Tower is doing to celebrate the Platinium Jubilee, is the Queen's Garden

down in the moat by the entrance

and a series of glass emblems - hard to photograph in the bight light - but there is a glass crown and various flowers from the coronation gown representing the national flowers of the nations of the UK

which I think this will tell you, behind the glare

and then it was up the hill and home.

I made good time, was lucky with both tube and mainline train and got home just as the tennis was about to start. 

Not sure what I will do for the final 3 days of my time off, as it is due to be hotter still.  

if you are still with me, thank you 

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.