Category Archives: Garden

Sep24

Kew Gardens 26th Smile

Posted on by
Standard

My wonderful Kew is always worth a visit.

We spent time in the Waterlily House first

with its wonderful variety of Lilies and plants.

See the huge Mimosa plant in the back… wow
My favourite Lilies

We watched a dragonfly bathing in the sun.

Photograpy is so interesting

I tried some ICM – Intentional Camera Movement- Pictures of different motives.

The Hive

Designed by UK based artist Wolfgang Buttress, The Hive is a visual tribute to Britain’s honeybees. Originally created for the UK Pavilion at the 2015 Milan Expo, it now lives in our Gardens at Kew – surrounded by wildflowers to celebrate the environments that real bees need to thrive.

My ICM attempts

Trying out the camera with water drops

More Lilies in the outside water pond

Pumpkins in the kitchen garden

Nature does not hurry, 
yet everything is accomplished.
 Lao Tzu

We loved Kew so much; It was sunset when we left.

All pictures taken by me in Kew Gardens, except the focused Hive picture - from Google.
Sep7

Hall Place

Posted on by
Standard

Recently we found another lovely oasis

called Hall Place.

A dear friend gave me some photograpy tips

and I am rather proud of this picture.

Hall Place is a historic house with 500 year history from 1537

surrounded with a garden.

It has the Queen’s Beasts, enormous heraldic animal topiary

planted in 1953 in celebration of the coronation of HM Queen Elizabeth II.

Beautifully cut

It has a Rose Garden

Pollinators were still very busy

We saw beautiful butterflies in the Butterfly House

Please click on the pictures to enlarge them.

The greatest gift of the garden
is the restoration 
of our 5 senses.

Hanna Rion

Aug25

Picture of the Week #34

Posted on by
Standard

It finally rained!

My new Mimosa plant is very sensitive

yet she didn’t close up with the raindrops.

Yes, it is a she I call her Mimi. 🙂

Food for thought

When you stop expecting people to be perfect, 
you can like them for who they are. 

Donald Miller

♥ You are wonderful as you are ♥

Aug9

Hyde Hall – Take 2

Posted on by
Standard

Again I went with my lovely friend to

Hyde Hall Garden as there was a Flowershow.

I totally loved it again. (see last post here)

Now in August, other flowers bloome,d

the sun was shining, a summer breeze in our hair…

What colours…
I love grasses

Some close ups with my Canon Camera

Bees were pollinating.

Plants make people happy !

We had a wonderful day, we were very happy in this garden.

A garden is not a place
but a journey.

I leave you with a sea of Echinaceas

Wishing you a wonderful Summer !

Jul10

Hyde Hall

Posted on by
Standard

A wonderful friend invited me to

Hyde Hall Garden

It has themed gardens like

Cottage Garden, Modern Country Garden,

Dry Garden, Rose Garden and more.

Country Garden

Now in June/July everything is blooming,

such a joy to walk through gardens.

We had a wonderful time and took many photos.

Please sit with me on the bench and enjoy the beauty!

Rest awhile,
take in the beauty that surrounds you.
A beautiful garden
is a haven of happiness.

Please click on the pictures to enlarge them.

He who plants a garden
plants happiness.
Richard Cell

Are you enjoying a garden in July?

May27

Kew Gardens 25th Smile

Posted on by
Standard

Kew this month was very colourful and buzzing.

This time we spent time in the Evolution Garden

Click on the link to read more.

This garden is 1.3 acres, filled with around 700 kinds of plants and brings over 350 million years of evolutionary history to life. 

Outstanding Poppy in a field of poppies
red poppy
Turkish Tulip (left)
roses
pink beauties
Sort of Magnoila
Iris right)
Dutch Rush and Iris

Trying out the camera with different focus points of the same plants

Bees and other Pollinators were busy pollinating.

In nature nothing is perfect

and everything is perfect.

Heaven is under our feet
 as well as over our heads

All pictures taken by me in Kew Gardens
Apr25

Kew Gardens 24th Smile

Posted on by
Standard

Spring is here with more colours than ever.

Kew is just magical.

Tulips are still blooming

Tulips are still blooming

Then there is plenty of more pink and purple.

Fun Fact:

Fossils have revealed that magnolia plants existed at least 20 million years ago. Magnolia officinalis bark is used in traditional Chinese medicine remedies to improve lung health and treat anxiety.

Apple Blossom – so pure white

Trees green, pink, red make a wonderful contrast.

We found plenty of Bluebells

Still in the woodlands we found Camassias- from the asparagus family.

Delicate flowers bending in the wind.

A real splash of vibrant colour gave this Rhododendron bush.

Nature is the best healer, relaxer and

the best happiness generator for me! ♥

“There are always flowers
for those who want to see them.” 

Henri Matisse

All pictures taken by me in Kew Gardens
Mar25

Kew Gardens 23rd Smile – Spring in Kew

Posted on by
Standard

Now Spring shows its’ signs

Kew is nearly in full bloom.

There is a sea of yellow greeting you.

Fun Fact:

The word “narcissus” is derived from the Greek word narke, meaning numbness (also the root of the word narcotic); the flower may have been named thus because of the intoxicating fragrance of some species.

There are so many varieties of Daffodills and Narcissi varieties and scents.

We were transported to the fairy-tale setting of Kew’s Magnolias, they grow on bare stems.

Trees full of Magnolias, different colours, sizes and varieties.

We found this little delicate beauty in the grass –  Snake’s head fritillaries

Then we followed on to the Cherry walk

Not all were open, yet I caught some perfect with the blue sky.

It felt wonderful to be under the Cherry blossom trees,

sun shining, blue sky.

Spring makes you feel alive.

Where flowers bloom
so does hope.

Lady Bird Johnson

All pictures taken by me in Kew Gardens