Kew Gardens 26th Smile

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

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Trying out the camera with water drops

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More Lilies in the outside water pond

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Pumpkins in the kitchen garden

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

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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.

Picture of the Week #38

Mimi update:

Mimi is growing well.

She even gets buds now.

Love the buds!

Food for thought

One who smiles 
rather than rages 
is always stronger.

Japanese Proverb

Keep smiling!

Picture of the Week #37

I was fascinated this morning with the

perfect dew drops on my Strawberry leaf.

 

Food for thought

“It has always been easy to hate and destroy. 
To build and to cherish is much more difficult.”

Queen Elizabeth II

In memory of Queen Elizabeth ll 
1926 - 2022

Picture of the Week #36

I love those yellow plants.

Does anyone know what this plant is called?

Food for thought

Be strong now, 
because things will get better. 
It might be stormy now, 
but it can't rain forever.

Sending you positive and healing vibes
if you are struggling with something!

Hall Place

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

Picture of the Week #35

A lovely Hosta is blooming in my garden,

giving me joy!

Food for thought

Most of the shadows of this life 
are caused by our standing
in our own sunshine.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Remember,
you are the one 
who can fill the world with sunshine.♥ ☼

Picture of the Week #34

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 ♥

Picture of the Week #33

My biggest sunflower opened and I am very proud of it.

They were raised from seeds.

Food for thought

Every gentle word of encouragement
and every smile
are seeds that love plants. 

Darlene Schacht

♥ Give a smile to someone ♥

Picture of the Week #32

My last rose in the sunlight!

Food for thought

We can live without religion
and meditation, 
but we cannot survive 
without human affection. 

The Dalai Lama

♥ Sending you a wonderful Hug ♥

Hyde Hall – Take 2

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 !