Stanley's pictures: We Are Only Going To Make One Post Today,

as we went to Kew Gardens,

with Steve and Kai for the Colombian Orchid Show, and took lots of photographs, so it is going to take a long time to post,

the day started fresh and fine,

Diana and Kai along with Steve and myself caught the train to Victoria,

and then the District line to Kew,

a candid photograph going downstairs at the station,

the first sign we were on the right track,

the sign says it all,

looking back to Kew station,

and this is where we were going,

both Steve and myself have Kew membership cards, so straight in, and no entrance fee to pay but in fact there were no queues anyway,

Diana strikes the pose, not knowing Steve is behind her,

and here she is,

we looked around the Kew shop,

so many wonderful things to buy,

like these orchids,

and insectivorous plants,

these somehow reminding me of triffids,

lots of them,

a quick look in the outside shop,

I was taken with these tinplate decorations,

firstly the birds,

kingfishers,

and woodpeckers,

this one known as Woodie!

there were also a few dragonflies,

plus lots of seasonal plants,

next outside,

looking at the Palm House,

Diana taking it easy before the long walk,

to the side of the pond,

and around the end of it,

then a nice surprise,

the first crocus that we have seen this year,

we continued around the other side of the pond,

passing this huge pine tree,

with an abundance of cones, which really encouraged the parakeet population, but surprisingly no squirrels, in our whole visit this time and ones in the past we did not see a single squirrel, so I guess the gardens operate a capture and dispose of regime, which given the number of rare trees and shrubs is totally understandable,

and here we were, at the orchid show,

in the Princess of Wales Conservatory,

a quick pose,

or two,

and we were inside,

as soon as we entered,

there were pots of orchids,

to look at and admire,

in the first glass house,

a wicker donkey,

with orchids,

in it's baskets,

and displayed in empty coffee bean sacks,

Steve was getting serious with his full sized SLR,

as I looked at another pot,

amongst some barrel cactus, (Echinocactus grusonii),

another pot,

and then a Colombian hat cactus,

well three of them,

we then went into the hot, damp hose, where my camera immediately steamed up,

as this Colombian television presenter was doing her television show for the folks back home,

a look at one of the vertical displays,

with bromeliads,

and orchids,

as well as vertical displays, there were archways as well,

with insectivorous plants hanging from them,

underneath some of the arches,

there were hanging plants,

we made our way to the lower level,

where there was a pond,

the show has been open for a few days, but exhibits are still being added,

Diana strikes the pose,

by one of the vertical columns,

next to the pool,

Diana was taken by this one,

and had,

to have,

a closer look,

this reminds me of a Flanagan and Allen song,

underneath the arches,

it is me showing my age!

we continued our walk,

past more columns,

and orchids coming from the ground,

and hanging down,

naturally I had to get in on the act,

a moss animal, I am guessing he might grow a covering of plants over the next few days,

Diana all smiles,

since we have been in the UK,

Diana keeps commenting,

how much she loves the cold!

under the hanging orchids,

that looked stunning,

especially with Diana there,

Steve and myself popped into the basement,

where school kids,

were looking at the selection of aquariums housed there,

some with large fish and plants,

some with just plants and a few small fish,

all neatly laid out and labelled,

on the way upstairs,

a fern,

was uncurling a new leaf,

in the pond,

some copper figures,

with orchids underneath,

along with pots of orchids,

in the pool,

then we saw this chap hanging around,

a sloth,

and covered in flowers,

a bird,

and although difficult to see,

here is another bird more,

we started to make our way towards,

where we had come in,

but there was still,

lots to see,

Diana,

in amongst the orchids,

and cactus,

enjoying the day,

then it was my turn,

to feed the donkey,

next coats on,

and we were looking at crocus,

as we made our way past the Palm House,

looking towards the end of the lake,

the passenger truck/train rumbled past,

for some reason,

a few of the local birds thought we had food,

and followed us,

next snow drops,

and in the distance,

a field of crocus,

this is where we were headed,

the Temperate House,

which has just recently opened,

so a quick pose,

it might seem peaceful here,

but the whole park is on the flight path to London Heathrow,

back to the Temperate House,

a quick pose outside,

and a twirl of joy,

the main entrance,

we were soon inside,

with a jump for joy,

'Ta-Dah!'

as you walk in,

you immediately hear the sound of a waterfall,

one of the many displays, the Australian tree fern, (Dicksonia antarctica),

the crown of the fern,

as Steve and myself were taking photographs of the plants, the girls were amassing a selection for their various Internet posts,

smile!

the house was spectacular to say the least,

it is a work in progress,

as with all of these projects the labour is never ending,

and every year new plants are being found or propagated from the enormous seed banks the garden holds like these above,

we made our way back,

to the Wolfson Octagon,

and some of the plants it contained,

and to my shame,

I did not know this one,

Steve and myself walked the length of it on the far side, and took a seat,

the girls took the camera outside and took a view of some of it outside,

Kai taking a photograph of it,

and a plane going over head,

walking back inside the girls found us enjoying the peace and quiet,

the temptation to pick a mini orange was almost too much,

nearby,

the biggest lemons,

I had ever seen in my life, they were the size of grapefruits!

I liked this, youngster taking an interest in natural history, in this case botany, not a electronic devise in sight!

some of the ongoing work,

we plan to come back to this avenue when the cherry blossom is out in the spring, so this is the now view, in a few months this will be the then,

I thought this pine rather delicate,

it's needles so fine,

with mini cones, these just a inch or so long,

back to the garden shop,

the range of goods for sale,

all garden themed of course is amazing,

next stop the station,

and a late afternoon meal at Miso when we returned to Beckenham, Miso extra for Kai,

Singapore noodles for Diana,

pepper steak for Steve,

and a Malaysian chicken curry,

for myself, delicious,

we made our way back to the park past the church and said our farewells to Steve and Kai,

arriving home, fridge magnet put on the refrigerator, all of our others should be arriving with all of our bits and pieces in the next month or so from Thailand,