Stroll Into Summer At Kew!

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, popularly known as Kew Gardens, is a sprawling expanse of green in Southwest London that comes alive in the spring and summer, welcoming throngs of people to its serene locale housing a huge variety of flora. I visited the gardens on a sunny and cool day in June. The weather was perfect for exploring the place on foot. Though, at the end of the day I was left with sore, aching feet, missing several sites that I had meant to go to, but didn't have the time for. Nevertheless, what I could manage to see was wonderfully refreshing and very enjoyable indeed. 

What began as gardens surrounding royal residences several centuries ago is a United Nations World Heritage Site today. Spread over 326 acres, the site has 40 historically important buildings and a collection of over 40, 000 species of plants. It houses an internationally important institute for botanical research too.

Easily accessible by the London Underground, it provides an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life to Londoners and tourists alike. With instructions, maps and directions, the place is very easy to reach for a first-time visitor like me. Having bought my ticket for Pounds 15, I am all set to take in the Gardens. Here are some pictures giving a glimpse of my visit. They are not necessarily in any order, just enjoy them!

The Gardens are a short walk away from this lovely little station. A signboard at the station invites visitors to "Stroll into summer" at Kew. Outside, the street is lined with beautiful houses on both sides. Each house has a pretty garden in front, with colourful flowers and pleasant landscaping.

One of the several splendid paths in the Gardens. One can walk to one's heart's content breathing in fresh air and then take a break on a bench like the one in the picture below, thoughtfully provided all over the park.

I loved the light and the shadows in this picture!

The Treetop Walkway is fun, allowing one to climb 18 metres high into a canopy of lime, sweet chestnut and oak trees for a bird's eye view of the Gardens. There is a staircase and a lift as well.

The elegant Palm House is an icon of the Gardens. You step into the warm and moist interiors to take a look at the tropical plants being nurtured there. The plants look fresh and full of life, in spite of being grown in an artificially maintained atmosphere. Outside, the rose shrubs are in full bloom, adding colour, beauty and a mild fragrance to the surroundings.

Warmer and more moist than the Palm House is the Waterlily House!

Lake and the Sackler Crossing! This is one of the most tranquil sites in the Gardens. The crossing, seen at a distance in the above picture offers stunning views of the lake, trees, sky, and ducks and swans gliding playfully in the waters.

The shapely curve of the Sackler Crossing!

The Rock Garden is aesthetically landscaped. It features mountain plants from six different regions of the world. One can see plants and flowers in abundance that one may never have seen before. 

Photos by Lata

These lovely orchids are on display at the Princess of Wales Conservatory. This large glasshouse contains ten climatic zones. It is home to a huge variety of plant life including ferns, cacti, orchids, waterlilies and carnivorous plants. The sheer variety and arrangement of plants takes your breath away!

There is much more to see and do at the Gardens. This post and these pictures are just a sampler!