My birthday and RBG Kew
If you’ve known me for any length of time, you know I love the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. And you probably also know that it’s my birthday treat is to visit each year.
You would probably not be surprised to know that Kew is a riot of flowers and colours, and that, each year, the Kew world changes. One year there was the most beautiful Dale Chihuly installation here. Hundreds and hundreds of colourful glass sculptures stood in gardens, floating on ponds and lakes, were suspended from trees and ceilings. One year the focus was on vegetables and other edibles, and this year the focus was on comfort, protection, healing and medicinal plants from all around the world.
Robert and I had a ton of unexpected traffic into London and came to RBG Kew later than we wanted but just in time for lunch.
We walked past the palm house, past the brilliant flower beds, to the Orangery cafe.
And while the hot reds, purples and yellows were very much on view, exciting and wonderful, what I noticed most were the white flowers. Each time I came on a brilliant white blossom, my heart skipped a beat and I had to stop.
It may have been the sunshine, may have been the terrible traffic jam, but I felt that I needed the cool, clear, peaceful white flowers that day, and so, this year, Kew became the year of the white garden for me.
We did the usual tour of the gardens between the palm house and the Orangery, but then decided to walk out into the arboretum to see the Thames.
We walked and walked and eventually made our way back to the Orangery, and R decided he wanted a rest, so he found a shady tree while I went on to explore the walled gardens.
I love Robert, but I loved my alone time.
I held hands with the trees…
I waved with the grasses…
And I captured as much of the peace in my heart as I could.
Eventually, I walked out of the walled gardens to the Princess of Wales conservatory and explored the alpines and cacti.
And made friends with some gardeners working in the grasses.
Found Robbie right where I left him…
And we went on to explore some more. 😀
More from Kew tomorrow.
Christie
What a beautiful way to spend your special day! Happy Birthday!
Patricia A. McGoldrick
Birthday celebration, for sure, in such a beautiful setting! Wonderful photos!
Gail
Well, Happy Birthday! Mine was yesterday. I hope yours went better. You know when you start out late and the hit every light it was down hill from there. My cat scratched me and at that point I gave up. Lol! But over all at this point it is just a day not a lifetime.
tinyWOOLF
so, you’re a-traveling, he? nice to see kew in summer, i loved in in april, had never been before and sensed already i will be back anytime in the future, for i didn’t succeed in seeing it all. and now for kent? i wonder. (i love kent. i lived at the seaside in the eighties). n?
EllaDee
Happy Birthday. I too gravitate to the white flowers, maybe it’s their elegance and form, and they look wonderful in moonlight. But with all the lovely colours, I often wonder why.
dawnsrays
Well Happy Birthday! what a beautiful place to spend such a special day!! I love the magnolia blossom. My favorites. My tree gives me such pleasure in blooms and leaves and crowns each year– it is beyond words actually.
Hugs
~Dawn
Sara v
Wow! What a happy birthday!! Flowers are the happiest things ever, so the garden was a perfect place to be 🙂 I Love those amazing asters? White, purple middle, incredible petals, right before the grasses. LOVE! <3
daryledelstein
lovely .. and the perfect was to spend a summer (birth)day
vastlycurious.com
You may be surprised to know that I have never heard of the Gardens at Kew and loved your gallery ! Happy birthday darlin !
Tijana
Hi Veronica,
OMG I didn’t know it was your birthday on Tuesday, happy birthday and all the best to you all! I love your photos, they make me feel I actually live somewhere else 🙂 (where the sun is shining all the time!) And Kew is my favourite place in London where I would move tomorrow if I could…
Have a wonderful stay and keep posting – it’s lovely reading about your discoveries and adventures!
Tijana xxx
Jennifer J. Chow
What a great birthday tradition! I didn’t know that it changed so much from year to year. (I’ll be traveling to Seattle later on in July and am excited to see the Chihuly exhibit there.)