Kew Gardens

 Fragrance- that's what we needed, fresh delicous, earthy, creamy perfume-Kew gardens are extensive!!  What a walk we had today.  Kew Gardens

Of particualr interest was the architecture of a Chambers- well this is my maiden name- so maybe in the family tree somewhere??  Sir William Chambers 1723- 1796 built several architectual gems in the Kew gardens all for Princess Augusta.

 He designed this ruined arch- such a feature of artistocratic gardens in that era.
And this spectualar Pagoda designed with a Chinese influence- unfortunately not open to the public and in need of restoration.

Then there was the Japanese temple- Chokushi- Mon, with a wonderful haiku engraved nearby:

Even Sparrows
freed from all fear of man
England in Spring
Kyoshi Takahama (1874- 1959)

The tree top walk- was scary- but not as good as the one in Western Australia- but Kel took some good photos- as the gardens were in the direct flight path- he wanted to constantly take photos of planes in the sky line.

We looked through the display of art work by Marianne North - 'who actually sketched the red hot poker in South Africa in 1883 and after seeing the painting botantists realised that the plant was new to science'  Kniphofianorthiae after Marianne North.

More to come...

But just one photo with a plane-