KEW GARDENS...

I went to Kew Gardens today!

I read about it in one of the travel books I borrowed from the library before I left,

and decided to go see it today,

since I was really needing some time in nature!

It was so beautiful! I loved being around all the plants, flowers,

and glass houses filled with all sorts of

amazing things that require so much care and attention!

It sure does make me wish I didn't have black thumbs!!!

I took a tram ride as soon as I got there to orient myself to the property, and someone behind me said this was a golden peacock! I've never heard of such a thing, but it was very pretty from a distance! I wonder what it looks like closeup!?

And then of course, the usual variety, which is still ABSOLUTELY beautiful!

The "Temperate" house, as well as the "Palm" house, had a skywalk, so I was very happy to climb my way up and get a bird's eye view of the greenhouse!



The view from up there was amazing! I hadn't ever been in a greenhouse with a skywalk before. I really enjoyed this!

The "Temperate" greenhouse is very large, with 5 different sections to it. This is looking out the window at the last two sections from the center where I was standing.

I love the pillars in here! Looking at it now, it reminds me of the building I visited in Paris, the Grand Palais. Perhaps the reason why I loved the Palais so much, is because it reminds me of a greenhouse! Hmmm!?

This was called King William's Temple. It's very small, and there's not much inside, but it looks very beautiful across the yard like this! The tour guide said there were typically a lot of very small buildings like these, which were primarily just there for shelter while watching the afternoons pass by.

I saw this cute little family of geese on my journey across the 300+ acres that makes up Kew Gardens. It's funny to compare these to the usual, little chicks that are normally seen in our area! These ones look like they should be in college by now! It was kind of funny to see Mom and Dad still running them in line!

And then, there was the Arizona desert! I had to laugh at this exhibit! I didn't spend much time in here, since I just left this landscape over two weeks ago!

(Can you believe it's only been just over two weeks?)

I LOVE these guys! :) Seeing these always makes me want to be a dead palm tree carver!!!

This was an amazing rock garden outside of the Princess of Wales Conservatory (or as I like to call it, The Arizona Exhibit). I really love the combination of large, square boulders, running water, and grassy flowers!

This was the entrance to what I think they call "The Secluded Garden."

I LOVE this picture! Thank goodness for auto-timers! I had the whole garden to myself for quite some time! I really enjoyed being here, it was so beautiful!

This was the Palm house, but it didn't interest me terribly, so I didn't spend much time in there. Of course the shape of the building is magnificent though!

As I walked around the property again by foot, I came across an old ruined bridge, with a note that it was originally built as a decorative, but still functional, old ruined bridge! Apparently that was in style during the late 1700s, only now, as the sign noted, it's even more ruinous! Either way, I loved it!