Today our focus was solely the Royal Botanic Gardens.
After a relaxing (read: leisurely) breakfast at Ellis Fields, Richard, Susan and I headed off for the St. Albans train station -- Pauline would join us a bit later after her exercise class. Anyway, we took the train to West Hampstead where we changed to the London Overground, which took over the Silverlink Metro routes in 2007.
We arrived at Kew Gardens Station and the three of us stopped for coffee at the Kew Greenhouse Café just up the street from the station. Richard thought this would be better than the café in the gardens themselves which he felt was somewhat inferior. We then strolled up to the gardens' entrance at Victoria Gate.
 |
| Kew Greenhouse Café |
Once inside we learned to our very great surprise that the works of American glassblowing artist Dale Chihuly were featured in a special exhibit with more than a dozen of his works being scattered around the 326-acres. In fact, the gardens had produced a map dedicated just to this exhibit. We set off to see them all -- or as many as we could find.
 |
| general map |
 |
| Getting oriented |
 |
| the Palm House |
 |
| "Paintbrushes" |
 |
| off to the Waterlily House |
 |
| "Red Reeds" 2016 |
And once inside the Waterlily house, where our glasses and camera lenses fogged right up:
 |
| "Ethereal White Persian Pond" 2018 |
 |
| strolling toward the next Chihuly |
 |
| Magpies are everywhere and if I were a state this would be my bird |
 |
| "Scarlet and Yellow Icicle Tower" 2013 |
 |
| Lucombe Oak, planted 1773 |
 |
| King William's Temple, built 1837 |
And in front of the temple you can find:
 |
| "Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins" 2019 |
 |
| path from the temple to the Temperate House |
 |
| "Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds" 2015 |
Inside the Temperate House are plants from around the world with an upper level promenade accessible by wrought-iron spiral staircases. Scattered amongst the various flora are more than a half dozen different Chihuly creations that blend in wonderfully with their environment.
 |
| "Beluga Boat" 2018 |
 |
| "Red Reeds" 2018 |
 |
| "Hebron Vessels" 1999 |
 |
| "Temperate House Persians" 2018 |
 |
| "Opal and Amber Towers" 2018 |
 |
| entrance to the Temperate House |
 |
| "Lime Crystal Tower" 2006 |
 |
| "Sapphire Star" 2010 |
After finding most of the Chihuly pieces it was time to meet up with Pauline so we left the gardens and returned to the Kew Greenhouse Café. Pauline had just arrived and the four of us sat down for a lovely lunch of various savory tarts, quiches and pies.
Following lunch we returned to the gardens (tickets are good for the entire day) and, while Richard took Pauline to see the Chihulys, Susan and I explored a little more of the gardens. We thought the Palm House quite nice but, unlike the Temperate House, a bit worn and tired.
 |
| "Summer Sun" |
 |
| inside the Palm House |
 |
| the Great Broad Walk leading to the Orangery |
 |
| Japanese Pagoda Tree, planted c. 1760, one of the few oldest trees from the original gardens |
 |
| "The Hive" - an interesting installation representing an enormous beehive but it left us more puzzled than anything else |
So much more to see but it was about time to go. We reconnected with Richard and Pauline at the gift shop. It was while taking in all the stuff promoting horticulture, botany and of course the gardens themselves that Pauline spied a staff member just putting out copies of a book titled
London Cemeteries. Naturally I had to have a copy -- fortunately it was small and easily packed.
Leaving the gardens we made our way back up in the direction of the train station, stopping at, where else, the Kew Greenhouse Café for a mid-afternoon tea/coffee break.
Eventually, it was time to get on the train and return to St. Albans where we had a wonderful dinner that evening at the Prae Wood Arms just outside the city.
Returning to Ellis Fields the four of us had a digestif before heading to bed. Our final day spent at Kew Gardens, our last dinner with Richard and Pauline, our penultimate day in Great Britain, it all added up to a thoroughly wonderful time -- today and the past two weeks, we have enjoyed ourselves immensely.
