Kew, Take II

Tuesday looked like it might turn out to be a nice, sunny day, so Sonia and I went up to Richmond to visit Kew Gardens.  Josh and I had gone back in April, but we didn't get to see everything, and I expected different things would be in bloom this time.  It's such a lovely place, I'd be happy to go back on a monthly basis -- and probably would if the entrance fee weren't so steep.

As luck would have it, it started raining almost instantly after we bought our tickets and walked through the gate.  Waah!  Fortunately, there are several indoor exhibits --in glasshouses -- which we made a beeline for.  The Princess of Wales conservatory had decorated the desert habitat with a Day of the Dead theme.

Day of the Dead in Kew Gardens in July

 We wondered why the carnivorous plant room was closed.  Had a visitor met with an unexpected fate?

Carnivorous plants gone wild?

The orchid room had some gorgeous specimens

During a break in the rain, we explored some of the outdoor gardens.

Temple of Aeolus

Rock garden

Alpine garden

Waterlily house

Fuchsias

As closing time neared, I checked the Tube status on my iPhone (which I could NOT live without here!), and discovered that the District line was closed between Richmond and Turnham Green, so we couldn't get home the way we came.  I used my phone to map us a route home by bus (see what I mean?), and we picked up some stuff for dinner on the way so we didn't have to go back out in the rain.

We enjoyed the gardens, but it would have been much nicer if it hadn't rained the whole time.  Oh well, it still beats the miserable heat most people are suffering with in the US.  I'm sure someone, somewhere in the world is enjoying the weather.