The endless blue sky, the hot sun beaming on the top of our heads, and one of the largest, most expansive green parks. This was Kew Gardens in the summer, and I was in love.
I'd always thought Kew Gardens was really far away from central London. And whenever I'd see advertisements in the tube, or photos popping across my timeline, I'd dismiss as a very unanimated place - "some plants..? ok..." I guess growing up within the lush vibrant tropics of Malaysia, it was hard to be impressed with 'tame' greenery.
Somehow, last week, curiosity got the better of me. Maybe it was the amazing summer sun, maybe it was the fact that we just realised Kew Gardens was only a couple of stations nearby, and maybe it was because I had the Canon 6DMarkII camera with me, where everything felt exciting to photograph.. but bottom line is, we just thought - okay, why not, let's just go!
To be fair, the location is a little on the outskirts of London, but we arrived just as it opened. At the entrance, we were given a map, and Min and I quickly decided on the things that we wanted to check out with the limited time that we had. I didn't really know what to expect, but what I wasn't ready for was this huge land of greenery! It was all so well-kept and meticulously maintained too! It felt like stepping onto the set of a Hollywood romantic comedy, or the background of a vacation brochure.
Every where we looked, in between the bright green grass and the endless sky, were summer scenes - families picnicking in the sun (pretty jealous of them), school kids having a painting class under a tree (so cool!) and groups of friends cycling around the grounds. We passed by lakes, topiaries, glasses houses and their acclimatised plants, sculptures in meadows... I can't fully describe it into words, but safe to say, Kew Gardens isn't just a basic English garden.
One of the best parts was the unexpected surprises. A sudden vista down a long tree-lined area, an unmapped dirt path leading to a shaded willow cave, a bench next to big flowering bushes.. There were so many little delights like this - places and moments that never quite make it to the recordings on social media, or the popular promotions, but added to the memories of our day.
The highlight for me was Wolfgang Buttress's The Hive, a multi sensory pavilion to raise visitor's awareness on the importance of bees. Despite it being made out of meshes of aluminium metal, it didn't look out of place, in this garden full of historical Victorian buildings. The honeycomb structure lights up and vibrates according to a nearby bee colony, and we could hear our voices echo around the structure as we talked.
About halfway through our exploration, we stopped by at The Orangery for some scones and iced drinks. The interior of this cafe is so colonial British - it felt like the ultimate place for a garden tea party. We also managed to go up on the Treetop Walk, and visit the Temperate House before ending our visit. I wish we could've done more, like have a picnic, or finish visiting all the glass houses. But this was a nice and brief introductory trip. I'm 100% sure I'll be back, and if you can, please go, it's a magical place to be.
View from the Treetop Walk.
DETAILS: Your best bet would be to come here in the morning to enjoy the most of the day (trust me, you'd want to stay there for a while!). It opens at 10am til 6pm in the summer, and closes at 4pm in the winter. Tickets are about £18 for adults, £14 for students and children. If you're going in the summer please bring a hat and sunblock and wear proper walking shoes! They'll give you maps at the entrance. I'd suggest bringing some snacks, drink, and even a picnic basket :)
More info here : Kew Gardens
I'd always thought Kew Gardens was really far away from central London. And whenever I'd see advertisements in the tube, or photos popping across my timeline, I'd dismiss as a very unanimated place - "some plants..? ok..." I guess growing up within the lush vibrant tropics of Malaysia, it was hard to be impressed with 'tame' greenery.
Somehow, last week, curiosity got the better of me. Maybe it was the amazing summer sun, maybe it was the fact that we just realised Kew Gardens was only a couple of stations nearby, and maybe it was because I had the Canon 6DMarkII camera with me, where everything felt exciting to photograph.. but bottom line is, we just thought - okay, why not, let's just go!
To be fair, the location is a little on the outskirts of London, but we arrived just as it opened. At the entrance, we were given a map, and Min and I quickly decided on the things that we wanted to check out with the limited time that we had. I didn't really know what to expect, but what I wasn't ready for was this huge land of greenery! It was all so well-kept and meticulously maintained too! It felt like stepping onto the set of a Hollywood romantic comedy, or the background of a vacation brochure.
Every where we looked, in between the bright green grass and the endless sky, were summer scenes - families picnicking in the sun (pretty jealous of them), school kids having a painting class under a tree (so cool!) and groups of friends cycling around the grounds. We passed by lakes, topiaries, glasses houses and their acclimatised plants, sculptures in meadows... I can't fully describe it into words, but safe to say, Kew Gardens isn't just a basic English garden.
One of the best parts was the unexpected surprises. A sudden vista down a long tree-lined area, an unmapped dirt path leading to a shaded willow cave, a bench next to big flowering bushes.. There were so many little delights like this - places and moments that never quite make it to the recordings on social media, or the popular promotions, but added to the memories of our day.
The highlight for me was Wolfgang Buttress's The Hive, a multi sensory pavilion to raise visitor's awareness on the importance of bees. Despite it being made out of meshes of aluminium metal, it didn't look out of place, in this garden full of historical Victorian buildings. The honeycomb structure lights up and vibrates according to a nearby bee colony, and we could hear our voices echo around the structure as we talked.
The Orangery.
It was called the Kangaroo's Paw <3
View from the Treetop Walk.
Interiors of the Temperate House.
DETAILS: Your best bet would be to come here in the morning to enjoy the most of the day (trust me, you'd want to stay there for a while!). It opens at 10am til 6pm in the summer, and closes at 4pm in the winter. Tickets are about £18 for adults, £14 for students and children. If you're going in the summer please bring a hat and sunblock and wear proper walking shoes! They'll give you maps at the entrance. I'd suggest bringing some snacks, drink, and even a picnic basket :)
More info here : Kew Gardens
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