I thought I would share a few more pictures from our visit to Kew Gardens today. These pictures were taken inside the Palm House, which is basically the largest glass greenhouse I have ever laid eyes on. I cannot even imagine how many people it would take to keep this greenhouse up and running.
This is a picture of just one of the many walkways. It totally felt like we were walking in a jungle. There were banana trees, but no monkeys.
Every type of palm tree imaginable was there.
Although there were about 10 million shades of green, only a few flowers were in bloom. But the textures, holy cow these plants had some amazing textures.
Ever wonder where the oldest pot plant in the world is being held?
Apparently at the Kew. I think the meant potted plant. Don’t you?
I almost fell over when I saw this.
Can you believe it is a macadamia nut cluster? Eeeeeeek!
Walking trees?
I bet Tommy Bahama totally got his ideas here.
Potted plants galore.
Check out this antique spiral staircase. It’s the only way to the top. You would never be able to use a staircase like this one here in the US. Why? Because it’s too steep and a small child could fall through the cracks. They would have to hire 10 people just to allow one person to go up the staircase at a time. Which is one thing I absolutely LOVE about traveling in Europe. They seriously expect you to use your common sense.
Here is a small view from above.
Greenhouse misters in action.
Isn’t it amazing? I wonder if he HH would let me install one in the backyard?
A Girl can dream, right?
~Mavis
Charla Echlin says
Mavis- have you ever visited George Washington’s gardens @ Mount Vernon in VA? Many people don’t know that George Washington was a talented horticulturist- I loved walking through the gardens and seeing trees that he actually planted. They do a wonderful job keeping up his gardens and even sell some propagated plantings. Thanks for sharing your pictures!
Mavis says
It’s on my wish list! 🙂
Susan Reid says
We call them ” pot plants” over here. Not potted plants. We tend to shorten most words if we can Mav.
Madam Chow says
The macadamia nut trees in Hawaii do not look like that at all – the nuts are individually free-hanging off the tree, like this: http://www.macnuts.org/growpage.htm
Mavis says
Hmmmm. Maybe I need a trip to Australia AND Hawaii to investigate now.
Lauren says
I’m Australian and didn’t know macadamias our only native nut grew in clusters like that! So it take an American in the UK to teach an Aussie something about her own country! Thanks 🙂
Mavis says
🙂 No wonder they are so expensive. I would have never known how they grew either had I not seen them in the greenhouse. Pretty cool if you ask me.
Carol says
The title of Oldest Pot Plant realllly caught my attention……then I laughed when I read what they meant!
Thank you for posting these fabulous photos, Mavis!
And no, I don’t think your HH will buy into building a Palm House idea….where would you plant all those potatoes you just brought home?????