Thursday, October 9, 2014

The Royal Botanic Kew Gardens


I've watched a movie about famous Kew gardens and always wanted to see it by my own. On my holidays I finally went to southwest London and arrived to Victoria gates of Royal Botanic Kew gardens. Before my holidays I learned that:
       it's an internationally important botanical research and education institution, it  employs 750 staff
       its living collections include more than 30,000 different kinds of plants 
       in 2003 the gardens were put on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites 
       Kew Gardens has its own police force, which has been in operation since 1847
       in 1840 the gardens were adopted as a national botanical garden in large part due to the efforts of the Royal Horticultural Society


Firstly I came to the Palm house that was built in 1844 and was the first large-scale structural use of wrought iron. It is considered "the world's most important surviving Victorian glass and iron structure."


I took pictures of the front garden where different flowers were planted: cannas, ageratum, tagetes, pelargonium, begonias, amaranthus and then I took pictures of the large lake in front of Palm house. The composition of flowers was very colorful, especially I liked blue ageratum.

 
Then I went to see the Grass Garden. I've read on the Aukse's blog my friend blogger from Lithuania  about her visit there and I wanted to see the Grass garden as well. 


It was created to display ornamental grasses; and was redesigned and replanted in 1994. Over 580 species of grasses are displayed there. In a distance you can see the glass conservatory, it's the Alpine house.




The Davie's Alpine House! It was a surprise for me, because I've never been to such talented designed building. It was opened in March 2006. 


16 meters long the apex of the roof arch of Alpine house extends to a height of 10 meters in order to allow the natural airflow of a building of this shape to aid in the all-important ventilation required for the type of plants to be housed.
I've read on the stand that the Alpine house features a set of automatically operated blinds that prevent it overheating when the sun is too hot for the plants together with a system that blows a continuous stream of cool air over the plants. The main design aim of the house is to allow maximum light transmission. There many small alpine plants in exhibition, I liked crocus and white cyclamen.



After Alpine house I went to the Princess of Wales Conservatory.
What did you know about Kew gardens? Have you been there? What other Botanic gardens do you know and love to visit?

to be continued...

34 comments:

  1. Gosh Nadezda you are putting me to shame. I live just outside London to the East and I haven't been to Kew Gardens for many years.. It looks just divine and your photos are beautiful. Thank you for showing me around. This definitely has to go on my wish list to re visit. P x

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    1. You're welcome Patricia! It's never late to see so beautiful garden near your home!

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  2. I have seen others take pictures of these gardens and I have always wanted to visit...but I must say your pictures are really fabulous Nadezda. You are showing it through a wonderful perspective. Lovely!

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  3. You've beaten me to it Nadeza, The alpine house looks fascinating

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    1. I agree Sue, it's very skillfully created building.

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  4. That's a great place with a beautiful scenery, especially the ponds. The conservatory looks awesome. The ornamental grasses and Alpine House are really wonderful. I hope someday I can visit that place and see with my own eyes all the beauties. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Sure one day you will be able to see this garden too, Endah!

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  5. What a lovely place Nadezda!!I have;nt visit London but i'll sure would love to see those beautiful gardens!
    There is a place in Melboure called Kew!The alpine house looks amazing!!About my pictures a do not use sepia or other effects!The light in Greece is wonderful!!
    These are natural colours from my Canon camera!Thank you for sharing!Have a lovely weekend!

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    1. So your photos Dimi show the natural colors, awesome! Never imagined this beautiful sunset!

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  6. Oh, what a beautiful place ! I am delighted with this garden. It would be nice to visit this place !
    Greetings

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  7. I'm glad you particularly noticed the Grass Garden. I think grass is a very underrated plant. Even when you just walk through the countryside there is so much to look at in the different shapes and colours of the grasses.
    Every time I go to Kew I see something new. Did you get to the gallery of botanical art? That's always nice. I was thinking of the modern one when I wrote that but actually the Marianne North gallery (Victorian) is also wonderful. Naturally that doesn't change much.

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    1. I had only 3 hours for Kew gardens :)) and wanted to see all conservatories, gardens and study plots. Unfortunately I did not see the gallery of botanical art, so for the next visit. The Grass garden was in my list to see. Thank you Jenny!

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  8. I'm happy to see the Kew gardens with your beautiful photos! I've been to wanting to visit here. Especially love the grass garden:) You also visited Helene's garden! I saw you and your son's photos in her blog:) Your son looks so cute! I wish I could make a trip with my sons, like you, someday...

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    1. I liked Grass garden as well Keity! I do hope you will be able to travel with your sons and visit Kew gardens.

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  9. Beautiful gardens! I had never heard of them.

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    1. It's very famous and popular especially in June when all plants are in bloom, Marian. Thank you!

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  10. Nadezda, so interesting you visited Kew Gardens. I love to see it back on your pictures and the beautiful design of Davie's Alpine house, stunning. I was in Kew gardens about 15 years ago, so it was not there yet. I think the Palmhouse is impressive but for myself I love most the Temperate House. I was at that time in London to visit my daughter working in London. At that visit I sent my husband a postcard of the Temperate House in Kew. This postcard brought him on the idea to build a greenhouse of old iron materials in the same way as the Temperate House. You see I have sweet memories to Kew, the basis of my small Victorian greenhouse started there.
    Still more memories, I also visited the gallery of botanical art and lateron going back to my hotel I visited a second hand bookshop, where I found the book A Vision of Eden, Life and Work of Marianne North, against a very low price, I was so excited.

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    1. You were lucky Janneke to find a book of Marianne North paintings! I'd love to.I remember the photos of your greenhouse where you store the plants during winter, of course it's enough warm place for storing. As a souvenir of Kew I bought a Calendar 2015 with pictures of the gardens and the next year I will see them every month. Thank you!

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  11. Aw, how nice! I'm glad to say that I have been to Kew about 3 years ago. And even though it was eary december, I'm sure I was equally excited about everything as you in beautiful fall time. I remeber being especially facinated by grass garden. I took tons of pictures! I think I should go through them again! Some are in my Flickr gallerys actually: https://www.flickr.com/photos/villu/sets/72157629127773955/

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    1. Thank you Tistou, I've seen your photos. I especially liked these ones of the succulents and cacti in Princess conservatory.

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  12. Great tour! A very important historic garden. Love the collection of grasses.

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  13. Welcome Nadezda!
    This garden has a long and beautiful story. Admire the wonderful flowers
    Travelling with you the beautiful gardens, it is a real pleasure.
    Greetings.

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    1. I knew you liked this garden as well, Lucja!

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  14. Wow what beautiful photos! So much color. Amazing gardens.

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  15. Beautiful garden's and lovely photo's too.

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  16. I love the grasses. What a nice visit you had.

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  17. Oh, lucky you! What a treat it must have been to see these gardens! Such a beautiful place, I hope I have the chance to visit it some day. Did I read in your latest post that you also visited Helene of Graphicality while in London? I hope you'll post about this one day, too; I look forward to seeing her garden from a visitor's perspective.

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    1. Yes, Rose I was very glad to have opportunity to visit Kew gardens. After Kew we went to Helene and had nice time in her garden, looking at flowers, arch, new seedlings, having some tea and speaking. I liked Helene's garden!

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  18. How gorgeous, Nadezda! I could see myself spending a few hours there just enjoying all the beauty! I have been to Montreal's Botanical Gardens and have posted a few pictures of it on my blog, it is also beautiful.

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