Every leaf is unique

Looking closer at an Agave at Kew Gardens, you can see clearly that every leaf has a unique pattern of the way it has grown from the inside.

The leaves have similar patterns but evey one is unique to its’ unfolding.

We are unique creatures, every one of us.

Be YOU.
Don't be someone else.
YOU are a unique individual.
Be proud... rock it loud.

Apolo Ohno

Kew Gardens Virtual Smile

Kew Gardens

my favourite garden has been closed due to the circumstances.

I miss going there so much.

They have now re -opened with limited visitors going in

and you have to book a time slot.

Unfortunately I have to take the train to get there and

I am not quite prepared to do that just yet.

So I went through my pictures from previous visits

and enjoyed a stroll through.

Here is what I found:

(pictures previously not published, taken by me in Kew Gardens)

 

Something Red

2.9.18

2.9.18

2.9.18

… it does say Red Dragon…..  🙂

Something yellow

Something pink

and something smelly

smelly

smelly

smelly

Yes, it was really smelly. What an amazing plant.

Hope you enjoyed my little walk through time, colours and the garden.

 

Please click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Pictures are from visits during the last 2 years.

 

Kew Gardens 11th Smile – by Day

Kew – Indonesian Orchid Festival …

by day this time.

Specially after Winter

it is great to see such a splash of colours.

So vibrant

Here are some more of the many pictures I took by day.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

Kew Gardens 10th Smile

Kew – Indonesian Orchid Festival …

by night.

As last year Kew Gardens had Orchid Festival.

This time all Orchids come from Indonesia.

New this year was for me :

I got a slot for Orchids by night.

A different experience which was fantastic.

Not only I see all Orchids

submersed in different lights

also there were Indonesian dancers, music,

food tasters (we had a great Indonesian soup and Ginger Tea)

and a wonderful atmosphere.

Enjoy some of the pictures I took.

Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Dancers

A great visit

I will I go by day again soon.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

Kew Gardens 9th Smile

Kew – not always blossoms …

What a great tree!

 

I love the wide and colourful variety

of grasses bending in the wind.

 

…and some lovely house leek,

and very old Bonsai Trees.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

Kew Gardens 8th Smile

Kew – a destination always worth it.

When ever you go,

it is exciting.

Every time there are different plants blooming,

there are more plants to discover and

I can practice and take pictures with my new phone camera.

You can never get tired of this beautiful Garden.

Some close ups

Rose

Waterlily

Lotus

Kew

Kew

Kew

This red ….

In the Alpine house

‘Stroh Blume’

Kew

‘Stroh Blume’

Kew

Fruit

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge,

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

 

Kew Gardens 7th Smile

On a beautiful day another visit to Kew Gardens.

There is currently

an exhibition of Dale Chihuly‘s Glass Art in the midst of all plants.

It was a brilliant day with so much to see.

It started off with this amazing glass art sculpture.

While you walk around with me

you see his radiant colours of those glass art pieces

in the midst of plants in Kew.

They fit in so well.

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge,

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

Unroll the Beauty

When I was at Kew Gardens last time

I was fascinated by the fern growing.

 

 

The way it unrolls itself, looking like an ammonite first…

each stem …..

unrolls ……

then each little side branch unrolls separately

with more leaves unrolling.

 

Everything unrolls slowly to perfection,

all in good time.

Nature is fascinating.

 

 

Adopt the pace of nature.

Her secret is patience.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

all pictures taken by me at Kew Gardens.

Kew Gardens 6th Smile – Orchid Festival

‘He has made everything beautiful in it’s time.’

Ecclesiastes 3,11

 

and to bring the beauty from all over the world,

Kew Gardens is celebrating the Orchid Festival until March 10th.

It really is a festival of colours, sounds and beauty.

This year there are Orchids

from the world’s most biodiverse county: Colombia.

Breathtaking displays of orchids,

a sweet smell,

accompanied with Colombian music,

even the cacti have hats on….

 

Let me take you through with this donkey:

 

Animals made include a toucan,  a swimming turtle…..

A sloth

 

and a life sized Jaguar

 

There are 1000’s species of orchids,

different colours, different sizes.

Enjoy the show:

 

 

Please click on the individual photo to enlarge.

All photos taken by me at Kew Gardens.

 

 

Kew Gardens 5th Smile – Temperate House

A cold day in Kew Gardens and so many things to see:

The Temperate house is home to an internationally important collection of temperate zone plants, including some of the rarest and most threatened.

It is the largest Victorian glasshouse in the world.

As a Listed Grade 1 building, it has been restored to its new glory and re opened in May 2018.

 

Walk with me and enjoy the rare and beautiful plants.

Nepal Yam

Giant citrus fruit

Australian plant

Click on the individual picture to enlarge.

Each plant showing off its beauty in different ways.

There is a spiral staircase to walk up along the Gallery.

The view is fantastic, and the sun was shining.

On my way out I passed the gift shop and found some lovely Bamboo socks.

I couldn’t resist.

 

I’ll be back at Kew very soon!

all pictures taken by me at Kew Garden