Kew Gardens – Early One Morning

Rolling back the years, almost exactly four years ago in 2016, to an early morning wander through Kew Gardens. As I was working that Sunday I really must have put on some speed to cover so much from the early 8am opening, heading out by 9.30am to head back down the river to Richmond and…

A late-September taste of the gardens at RHS Wisley

A mid-week, late morning, late September tour of the RHS Gardens at Wisley. Blue skies peppered liberally with white clouds (today was a brighter, warmer clearer-skies day than yesterday, but probably overbright for my photographic skills so here we are ...) It is still quite definitely late summer, rather than full-on Autumn. Very few of…

Taking a peek inside the Alpine House at RHS Wisley – and a scented meander down through the Rock Garden into Seven Acre Wood ….

A little peak inside the Alpine House which sits atop the Rock Garden in the RHS gardens at Wisley (the rose garden is behind, an allée of Bonsai trees to one side and the vegetable garden too, if you need to get your bearings. This is a traditional glasshouse where the plants are mostly displayed…

A ‘Meet the Experts Tour’at Kew Gardens – Snowdrops (Galanthophiles Rule OK) – and my first sighting of the newest species in the club, Galanthus trojanus

Such a treat, earlier this week, attending one of Kew Gardens' Meet the Experts Tours. Every Tuesday throughout the year (or probably pretty much), you are delivered into the hands of one of their Experts for a private tour of one aspect of the work going on at Kew. This month they are talking everything snowdrops…

A return to RHS Wisley – as October arrives with blue skies and the warm gold of an Indian Summer

Roses, to come, but first a gallery of late-flowering perennials, shrubs and trees bringing a rich diversity and vibrancy to these gardens as October sidles into view. The Gardens at RHS Wisley - the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship garden - never disappoint and even with frequent visits, there is always something new to delight, excite…

Cool, Green and Tranquil Gardens – with a twist – exploring the Hannah Peschar Sculpture Garden

A garden visit this afternoon but not entirely for the horticulture ... This is, despite the artful additions, a just-tamed and beautiful, cool green, tranquil and quite enchanting garden - the rock and water garden to the former Leith Vale Estate built in the 1920s (Leith Vale was then owned by one Trotter, banker and…

In my favourite Alpine House – RHS Wisley in Technicolor

  In the Alpine House at RHS Wisley, a kaleidoscope of colour (I know I've used that particular description on more than one occasion but it works for the rainbow of colour on display quite perfectly). And in the gallery below, from their Plant Centre, more Alpine and Rock Garden stars ... Just galleries this…

Kew Gardens – Early One Morning/Lazing on a Sunday Morning

Kew Gardens once again opens its gates at 8am for Friends of Kew, right through the Summer. I took advantage of this early opening on Sunday before heading over to Petersham Nurseries and really appreciated the cool calm and quiet - there were other folk about but few and far between (it's a big place)…

Rounding up a bright, colourful and fragrant tour of Wisley (did I mention the rain?)

A perfect stranger but just in the right place, for just enough time for me to shift around for the best angle and click! (Well, lots of clicks in a very short amount of time but I like this one the most). Framed by the flowering Cherries at the top of the Rock Garden at…