On Kew

A year ago I had the good fortune to visit Kew gardens in London, and whilst I took a fair number of pictures I didn't get around to sharing these.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of a return trip to Kew, and being better informed of the layout of the vast area and the range of gardens and planting, I tried to be slightly better organised and focussed in what I was hoping to see during my visit.

I have included a number of pictures which I hope you will find an interesting accompaniment to the account of my visit.

Upon arrival, my first area of interest to visit was the woodland environment. This was of particular interest as I am currently doing some gardening work for a client where I am seeking to identify some woodland tolerant plants, or those able to grow within the immediate area or underneath established trees.

A selection of interesting specimens, many not in flower, but never the less offer much interest with their foliage variations:

Epimedium perralderianum

Epimedium underplanting

Hakonechloa macra 'Alboaurea'

Liriope muscari

Polypodium X shivasiae

Reineckeo cornea

Stipa tenuissima

Symphytum 'Hidcote'

Viola hederacea

Alchemilla mollis 'Robusta'

My next area of interest was the part of Kew set aside for groups of same plant families, and in the immediate vicinity are the vegetable beds, alongside a lengthy herbaceous border. I was particularly interested in finding plants that might be suitable to include in a garden border make-over at home. The idea for this part of the garden is to create a 'hot' colour border, with a range of flowering specimens complemented by supportive foliage colours. Some items of interest:

Achillea

Amaranthus cruentus

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides

Guem

Helenium 'Sahin's Early Flowerer'

Heuchera 'Chocolate Ruffles'

Iresine lindenii

Stipa ichu

Stipa tenuissima

I wandered over to the area planted with numerous grasses. I really like this part of Kew, as the wind was blowing the grasses in all directions and at times some specimens took on the appearance of waves. A very small selection of some of my favourites:

Calamagrostis epigejos

Miscanthus sinensis 'Ferner Osten'

Schizachyrium scoparium

Stipa Tenuissima - underplanting with Silver Birch

I'm not normally taken to revisiting places that make me feel uncomfortable, but in this case I made an exception and revisited the sky walk. Some 18 metres above the ground, the walk way weaves its way through the tree tops, the views now somewhat hampered by the trees themselves. Never the less, an experience worth repeating - though I'll never get used to the flexible, see through metal grid one walks on! Enjoy...

Going up!

Not there yet!

Still more steps to climb!

Made it - cracking walnuts (and that's not the tree!)

View back to the spiral stairway

In the trees...

I took a walk ... with some long views of the 'garden' - just to give an impression of scale. At times, London seemed so far away, it was as though I had escaped to the country.

The Thames

Finally, a small selection of some interesting trees - some in good health, some not so. An enjoyable day of seeing and learning.

Acer - autumn colours coming

Cedar

Larch - fine specimen

Larch - with a twist

Zelkova carpinifolia (a particular favourite)