472 photos. That’s how many pictures I took of plants alone on our day trip to Kew Gardens. Each one, for me, as exquisite, magical and picture worthy as the next. And we were visiting in January no less! Kew Gardens is a preserved place, a place where you can see the dedication and care that goes into it’s upkeep. The people that work there must love what they do.
Where
Kew Gardens was an overground train trip away from London – but within the boundaries of our Oyster Travelcard. The station is quaint and the town itself is lovely. We looked at a real estate shop window on our walk from the station to the gardens, imagining acquiring a property in the area. A little too pricey, unfortunately.
What
Upon entering Kew Gardens you’re faced with a pond teaming with local wildfowl. Then, a magical, castle-like greenhouse of glass and ornate white-painted metal. We visited on a Wednesday, and some local school children were on excursion there as well. For the most part, however, we felt very much as though we had the entire gardens to ourselves.
At the time of our visit, an exhibit by David Nash was on display. Intertwined amid the various gardens were wooden sculptures by the 67 year old British artist. Often burned black, the wooden sculptures were both at home in their various locations and alien at the same time. I quickly fell in love with Mr. Nash’s work and feel privileged for the opportunity to have enjoyed the exhibit.
Of course, to find an exhibit was a delightful surprise but what we came for were the attractions that Kew Gardens has to offer it’s visitors all year around. Beautiful grounds and a diverse selection of flora to explore.
A highlight of our day at Kew Gardens was the friend that we made – the local peacock. He was there at the front gates when we first arrived. Later he showed us around the Pagoda – a structure at the gardens that was constructed in 1762. He was very personable. Most likely very used to the attention of the thousands of visitors he has encountered at his home.
Also
Other notable areas at the gardens included the Japanese Gateway, the Treetop Walkway and King William’s Temple and Mediterranean garden. I can’t help but feel that despite spending the entire day, we still didn’t have time to cover a lot of what they had to offer. We will definitely return to the gardens on future adventures because it was certainly a highlight of our trip across the pond.
We did select a gorgeous smelling Orange Blossom Diffuser from the gift shop and once home the delicious scent reminded us of our experiences.