Two Gardens

Low tide on the Thames, Putney

It's been a busy few days and a fair bit of walking in the heat. On Wednesday hubby and I decided to visit Chelsea Physic Garden which had been on our list for a few years. We chose Wednesday as it was supposed to be a little cooler. I suppose it was but with walking it was hard to tell! We ended up by combining this with a walk along a stretch of the Thames we had not so far walked - Putney Bridge to Battersea Bridge on the north bank. This included walking past Wandsworth Bridge and the Imperial Wharf Gardens - a welcome spot for lunch-timers to picnic. Then there is Chelsea Harbour, a much smaller version of St Katherine's Dock (near Tower Bridge). Following this was a walk along the elegant houses facing the Thames full of blue plaques of the famous - Sylvia Pankhurst, artists and sculptors (Turner) and Cheyne Walk which I had been along before but this time we walked through the gardens just in front. Here were statues of Thomas Carlyle, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Vaughan-Williams - a right who's who of the creative world. The gardens were a shady retreat from the glaring sun.

Chelsea Harbour

Houseboats at Chelsea, River Thames

Sylvia Pankhurst's House

Finally we arrived a Chelsea Physic Garden in time for a guided walk. What a beautiful place. It was nice to hear about the history but I was itching to look around myself. We had fun missing the sprinklers, though actually it was quite nice getting splattered! I spent ages trying to photograph bees on flowers as well as a dragonfly! I had to go back to the Cannabis plant for another photo (the gardens needed a special Licence for this one!) and it was interesting to learn how much we need plants - for medicine, perfume and food. There was a garden dedicated to the vitamins. There were several glass houses - too hot to stay in long and bee hives. We saw the entrance that only the Queen uses and the manure is delivered through! There are so many benches dotted around the gardens so even though it was busy there was always somewhere to rest.

Before we left we had a pot of tea overlooking the green and then we had a look around the gift shop. Somehow I got out without spending loads of money.

My son's friend arrived yesterday for two nights and I thought we were going to Kew Gardens today but she wanted to go after she arrived - two gardens in two days and more walking! It was lovely though. I've been to Kew Gardens before but we found areas I'd not seen before and I was particularly taken with the vegetable garden - it made me want to come home and start ploughing up the garden! We also discovered a gift shop I'd not seen before. I thought it was just somewhere to buy plants and then as we entered it became obvious that it opened out into a huge area. I loved it. This is by the main Victoria Gate. I'd already bought a few things in the smaller shop near the kids area but I loved submerging myself in the whole gift shop concept again with glee - though my resistance was very good, thankfully.

So last night we pigged out on a Chinese takeaway and today our guest in London meeting a friend so I'm having a rest - well I say that I've done a ton of ironing, been shopping, to the library and I still need to visit Pets at Home to top up the guinea pig supplies. In between I've managed a short nap as well!

Plant beds

Chelsea Physic Garden from the Tea Shop