Gardens and A Palace

After much delay I am now able to return to our April visit to London and to fill in the rest of the story.

On a warm, sunny day we went to Kew Gardens, properly called the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Near the Gardens we had tea and croissants outdoors at a restaurant, which had lovely hanging baskets of flowers. Yes, there are beautiful things outside Kew.

On to Kew. I like their slogan: Plants, People, Possibilities.

Kew has been in operation for 251 years. It has over 5 million spring flowering bulbs, the largest display in the nation.

I posted some views of this varied and expansive place last year, but here are a few more.

Next, to the Palm House.

Below ground level in the Palm House was a most informative Marine Display, featuring algae, the most primitive of all plants, they say. Without algae there would be no life on earth.

One aquarium included this extraordinary fish. Unfortunately, I lost my notes telling me who he is.

If any on my readers can identify him, let me know.

In 1987 a violent wind storm struck this area of England, and at Kew 700 mature trees were destroyed, some of them rare and some of them centuries old. Later, to celebrate the ongoing work of the Gardens, and to show that good can come out of disaster, an artist created this art piece, made of many different kinds of wood from the various fallen trees.

On one side of the Gardens, along the Thames River, stands Kew Palace, the country retreat of King George III and Queen Charlotte. He was king at the time of the American Revolution. Here is King George.

Trivia: he and his wife had 15 children and one grandchild.

Here is the Palace and one view of the Palace Gardens. Of the several historic royal palaces we have visited in England, this one is the smallest.

Later in the day we went to Picadilly Circus for dinner. In this area it is common to see these amphibious vehicles that offer The Duck Tour.

I have never taken this tour but would love to do so some day. JoLene does not share my enthusiasm.