When Andrew was here, we visited Kew Gardens. Kew Gardens are some of the oldest, largest, and best botanical gardens in the world with lovely glasshouses and beautiful landscapes. When we went, things were just beginning to blossom in many places and it was really nice. I also discovered what macrophotography is- expect to see that in another post.
This is the Palm House. It is home to the world's largest indoor plants and is very pretty and warm.
A lovely view of the Hercules fountain and the lake.
Geese. On the lake.
This nifty belltower was actually a chimney once when they were playing around with figuring out how to heat the glasshouse. It is called the Campanella and is built in Spanish style.
Ever wonder what a Yale is? According to the English, it's this thing. It's a goat-like creature with silver spots and horns that can swivel in any direction.
Let's go inside the Palm House now!
While Andrew was more interested in the Victorian iron structures, I was more interested in the plants. We both were interested in the staircases.
Pineapples. No. Really. Pineapples. They DON'T grow on trees.
Look at the spikes on this tree!
I told Andrew to get in the picture to show you all how big this leaf is.
The iron bridgething across from the first iron bridgething.
In the basement of the palm house, they had a marine exhibit. While some fish were on display, it was mostly a display of seaweed and algae.
MORE PINEAPPLES. MY WORLDVIEW HAS BEEN RUINED FOREVER.
This is a henna plant.
This cycad is the world's oldest potted plant and has been here since Kew opened up in the 1760s as a royal garden.
They had these little temples everywhere. Very pretty. Most of them are war memorials on the inside.
These aren't roses, but they certainly look like them. I'm pretty sure these trees were the model for this:
They have an absolutely beautiful rock garden at Kew with plants from all over the world.
You can see the Alpine House in the background of this picture. It's a really neat glasshouse where they mimic alpine conditions with wind tunnels. It's really cool. Literally, actually- they have to keep it chilly for these little guys.
Those silver things are the wind pipes.
Back outside, overlooking the grass garden.
Next up is the Princess of Wales Conservatory. This is just a bunch of plants from global biomes.
In the rainforest section, they had a cool lake with fish!
They had two whole rooms dedicated to carnivorous plants.
Their desert garden was really cool, too.
Trez, did you know there's a species of cactus named after you? It's that anemone-lookin' thing up there.
Andrew, as expected, enjoyed the desert plants.
I'm reminded of the Bushwoolies from the My Little Pony cartoon.
CORM IS A WORD?! :D
so i herd u liek axolotls? (dear relatives: this is a joke that you probably will not get. Just know that axolotls are cool, ok?)
Badger sett! Well, the entrance to a badger sett.
This whole thing is a badger sett.
This was a poem on display in one of the gardens. It's grimy, but I liked it. Here it is, for those who don't want to bother trying to read it:
Sweet is the rose, but grows upon a briere (briar);
Sweet is the Junipere, but sharp his bough.
Sweet is the Eglantine, but pricketh nere;
Sweet is the Firbloom, but his branches rough.
Sweet is the Cypresse, but his rynd (rind, meaning bark) is tough.
Birds of Paradise
We saw a pheasant!
He was pretty!
Really pretty!
I felt guilty for eating his family.
PHEASANT I AM SORRY YOU ARE SO DELICIOUS!
In the Japanese garden, they had a really cool minka house. It kinda feels weird to think about Japan now, given all that's happened and Notre Dame's misjudged reaction.
Near the Japanese house, they had this really cool treetop walkway. We were some six or seven stories up in the air.
More Japanese stuff. I am not sure how these got on the other side of my treetop pictures.
I know they're guardian spirits, but they remind me of shih tzus.
This is the Pagoda. It's about as Chinese as digestives, but it certainly looks good. Fun fact: During WWII, they cut holes in all the floors and dropped model bombs to look at impacts.
More Pagoda.
Still more Pagoda.
Outside of the temperate house.
These next incredibly blurry pictures are citrus trees. Kew was the very first place outside of the tropics that citrus fruits were grown. All that are left are these small trees.
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