A Day at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens and Kew Palace, Richmond, England, Part Two!

We Ducked Into the Palm House To Get Out of the Rain!

Two Happy Visitors!

This Was a Happy Bloomer!

The Spiral Staircase to the Catwalk Above!

Kew's Palm House Reminds Me of Phipps Conservatory!

Kew Palace

The Queen's Boudoir

The Queen's Drawing Room

How the Palace Originally Looked!

A View Out of the Window to the Queen's Garden!

One of the Costumed Guides at the Palace!

The Royal Kitchen Gardens

Love the English and Their Structures for Veggies!

Do I See Some Artemisia Here?

The Nosegay Garden Early May!

A View Towards the Palace!

Just Love This Walk of Trees!

This Canadian Goose is Happy with Its Nest!

The day at Kew was not without raindrops and because the Temperate House is closed for restoration, we ducked into the Palm House with its catwalk above the palms.  It reminds me a bit of Phipps Conservatory here in the 'Burgh.  I was also glad to see schoolchildren learning about the plants and different areas of the world.  Each time I have gone to Kew a new section of the gardens and buildings has been revealed to me.

So I have to say that my new/old favorite part is Kew Palace.  It was built in 1631 by a Flemish merchant from the City of London, whose family had escaped religious persecution in France.  It became the summer retreat from London for royalty specifically George III (the one who was "mad" with porphyria) and his Queen, Charlotte who had 15 children.  The majority of whom survived to adulthood and marriage.  She was a remarkable woman and George to keep her happy built her a cottage on the Kew grounds.  It is open on weekends and bank holidays (April-September).   Kew Palace couldn't hold everyone and so the White House was built in front of the palace and near to the kitchens and gardens.  It has not survived.  The Queen's Cottage is one more reason to go back to Kew again soon.  Really if you are planning a trip to England and London specifically this summer, plan on going to Kew Gardens and Palace.  It is well worth the Tube ride to Richmond.

We have gone into the hot and sticky days of summer before summer has arrived here in the 'Burgh'.  Got the lawn mowed this morning and we are supposed to get more strong storms this afternoon!  Summertime is here!  Hope you are having a great day!  Talk to you later!