Over 40 years ago, my family took a day trip to Kew Gardens. We had a flat in London and were exploring Kew as part of our adventures in the city. I had just started my job as a dental house officer at Guy’s Dental Hospital, marking the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
Fast forward 40 years, and I returned to Kew Gardens with Sandy to attend a reception for the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) awards and to receive a certificate for coming second in the wildflower category. We were fortunate to have free access to the gardens, and after weeks of grey weather, the sun finally appeared. The day out coincided with my birthday, 14th February, and I was looking forward to the visit.
When we arrived at Kew Village, it was quiet. After initially walking in the wrong direction, we corrected ourselves and found the main village on the opposite side of where we had arrived. We strolled along the pretty avenues, past the lively shops, and made our way to Victoria Gate. Once inside the gardens, we had some time to explore and visited the Palm House. The deep green foliage, humid conditions, and old Victorian ironwork made it a fascinating place. I particularly enjoyed the circular rooftop walkway. The high-level views through the condensation-covered windows were worth the climb up the spiral metal staircase.
Kew Gardens is filled with beautiful tree-lined avenues, and we walked towards the Temperate House, which was near the exhibition venue. Along the way, we saw the Great Pagoda in the distance, neatly framed by the trees.
The IGPOTY reception was held in the Marianne North Exhibition Room, an enthralling space. Marianne North had hand-painted flowers from around the world, and the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with exquisite watercolours of flowers from Singapore, Borneo, and other exotic locations.
After the presentation and collecting my certificate, Sandy and I went outside to see the International Garden Photographer of the Year display boards. By then, the sun was shining brightly, and the crocuses were just beginning to peek through, adding a welcome splash of colour after a dull, grey winter. It was an uplifting sight.
Before leaving, we had time to visit the Temperate House, where I once again took a walk along the rooftop walkway. Afterwards, we strolled back along more avenues to Victoria Gate and made our way home on the tube.
This was a wonderful experience to revisit after so many years and I hope to be back again in the future. I have another post about my prize winning entry which you may wish to visit.
