Online, I had found a quilting and needlework shop in the Village of Kew. I went there first, hoping that I might find a needlework project. I was disappointed. It was basically a quilt shop with three needlepoint kits. Sigh. I did pick up three fat quarters and had a nice chat with the shop lady. Since my shopping didn't take long, I was off to Kew Gardens.
The sun had warmth to it, there were few clouds -- a perfect day to walk around. And walk I did. The grounds are quite large and the pathways are clearly marked. I entered through the Victoria Gate and walked through the Mediterranean Garden and through the Temperate House. Normally taking pictures of flowers isn't really what brings me pleasure, but today I had lots of fun. These are some of my favorites, not just in the first green house, but all day.
I walked north and west through the Gardens angling towards Queen Charlotte's Cottage. It is the house where the family used to picnic, since eating outdoors in the summer would have given their skin a darker hue. The stenciling in the upstairs room is very sweet. I was reminded of the old stencil patterns that I have seen in older New England homes.
After leaving the Cottage, I continued on, making my way over to the Kew Palace, past a resting peacock, and the little lake with swans. I thought of Selim and how much fun we had watching the swans last weekend. I passed a sign for this, but didn't go in. Although in retrospect, my gardening family might have appreciated the photo op.
South of the lake I made a left turn and headed straight towards the palace. I debated going in, and in the end, decided to. I am not going to be going back, so this was my time. The outside is imposing, but it feels quite intimate inside. The lasting impression of the interior is how small/short the beds are. The women must have been so short!
When I finished the tour, I walked around in the back gardens. I took some pictures of the statuary. It is really hard getting a photo of a statue that does not have bird poop on it. Even some of the ones inside, like the one in the eating area, have bird issues. These are some of the stutues that I encountered throughout my day.
I had a small snack at the Orangery Restaurant. I was the only person eating alone. I'm pretty used to it, so it wasn't too awkward. Fortified, I headed back towards the Victoria Gate. I am so glad that I decided to stop in the Waterlily House. What a treat! The flowers were so beautiful. I wished there had been a place to sit down inside and soak up the vibrant colors.
I sat down for a bit in front of the Palm House. The outdoor gardens there are lovely, and the swans were hanging out in the pond. Around 3:00 I decided that it was time to head home. After going through the last gift shop, I left through the pretty gate.
I made the right decision to leave when I did, since I had more transportation issues coming back to the flat. I got off the tube at Hammersmith, thinking I would take the more direct City or Circle line back to Baker Street, only to find that those lines were closed going North and East, beginning at Royal Oak. So I could get partway back, but I would be offloading in an unfamiliar area. The worker at the tube entrance told me that if I wasn't in a rush, I could take bus #27 to Baker Street. He was right about the rush part. That was definitely the slow way home. However, the route took us through Notting Hill and that was fun.
Going through my pictures today, I realized that I did take a few building photos after all. I liked the greenhouses and the decorative aspect along the roof/wall juncture. And while I didn't see everything up close and personal, the Pagoda for instance, I feel like I got my moneys worth.
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