Gardener and Photographer with a love of Roses and a magpie-eye for all things Horticultural
New growth is pushing up through the dark earth, fresh flowers taking advantage of the leafless tree canopy overhead and searching for sunlight. Snowdrops, yellow winter aconites, the earliest oriental hellebores and the first few crocus of the season. All here at Kew - and there is more to come - carpets of crocus (they…
Continue reading ➞ Snowdrops, hellebores, crocus, winter aconites …
Kew Palace Historically significant for its association with the Royal family, Kew Palace (formerly known as the Dutch House) is the earliest surviving building in the Gardens. It was built around 1631 by Samuel Fortrey, a merchant of Dutch origin, and is noted for its distinctive decorative carved brickwork and rounded gables. It was used…
Continue reading ➞ Kew Palace and the Queen’s Garden
Further findings from my most recent walk through Kew Gardens (we've seen Bark!) and I hadn't expected to see much by way of trees in flower, this early in the season. Three specimens caught my eye. The Cornelian Cherry, Cornus mas, was putting on a delicate show, by the lake. bright but widely spaced clusters…
A walk through Kew, enjoying a bright chill day that the BBC weatherman assured me would hold nothing but rain upon more rain. Plus there was a parking space by the Victoria Gate entrance, so there was no excuse to call in. My rules! I've recently explored (deep breath..) the woodland area by the Temple…
Sorbus glabrescens with Sorbus alnifolia in the background Sorbus glabrescens, with white fruit (above) and (below) the red fruit of Sorbus alnifolia All change - Sorbus alnifolia with Sorbus glabrescens in the background Sorbus alnifolia by the Chokishi-Mon in the Japanese Landscape at Kew I've come across Sorbus glabrescens in the Arboretum at RHS Wisley…
Continue reading ➞ Sorbus glabrescens & Sorbus alnifolia – White and Red
I featured this plant on the 18th January, bemoaning the lack of information on the label and finding out just a little about what the index numbers might refer to. Happily more than a few questions have been answered by a friend who has been able to look up the details from the original plant-hunting…
Continue reading ➞ Berberis – A Dectective Story
Read all about it! Nandinas tall and short - I think the variety on the left is Purple Passion. A favourite plant, this, and worthy of the name Heavenly Bamboo - though it is not a bamboo. Nandina are in the Berberidacea family, though they bear little resemblance to a Berberis, and they have no…
Continue reading ➞ Minka House at Kew/Heavenly Bamboo
The Temperate House at Kew - beginning a multi-million pound refurbishment - closed until 2018 More information from the Kew website - http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/garden-attractions-A-Z/temperate-house-restoration/
I meant to identify the trees on the island when I posted this picture beforehand - I don't think it is too poetic to think that the branches appear to be flowing away from the trunk, like seaweed or reeds in a stream - or flames in a strong wind. I've never noticed this before,…
Continue reading ➞ Swamp Cypress
The Teddington Gardener 