The Hive - Kew Gardens

The Hive

Yesterday a friend and I went to Kew Gardens to see The Hive, a metal installation with lights and a drone in the key of C. This represents the key bees buzz in. It was impressive. First off we walked underneath and looked up through the glass floor. Then we walked up the path and entered the The Hive itself. Hypnotic! The drone is sometimes accompanied by birds or a violin but the drone just goes on and on in its steady note of C. There was a gentleman sitting on the floor with his eyes closed enjoying the sensation and I could well imagine doing this. It draws you in. And then there are the bulbs which change colour, going through sequences of mauve, pink, yellow, blue, green and red. It was hard to leave this calm place.

We eventually dragged ourselves away and headed for the Treetop Walkway. We bravely headed for the stairs (no, we didn't need the lift), though half way up I was beginning to think this was a bad decision. I'd been up here before a few years ago  but I never remember it being so wobbly. At first I thought the stairs had really done me in. I couldn't walk a straight line and began to feel rather motion sick. It was very disconcerting. My friend felt much the same and I can only think that yesterday was a lot more windy than the time before. Standing by the rail you could see the walkway swaying! We got round quickly, if somewhat drunkenly, and headed down to firm ground. Not a great experience.

We did part of one hot house and the Palm House, headed for the Pagoda and then decided to call it day as the cloud was getting lower. Rain was in the air. The continual stream of aircraft coming into land at Heathrow took longer to emerge from the greyness. We timed them. No more than one minute apart, wheels down and dropping as they went. We'd had a great day. Kew is such a big place that it's impossible to do everything in one visit. Every time I go I seem to find something else I'd missed before. I'm sure I'll be back again one day.

Taken from the base (a bit like a space ship?)

Looking up at the glass floor

Inside The Hive