When I heard that my friend D hadn’t been to Kew Gardens in 21 years I booked us in for a day there pronto. I mean, that’s just not right. I’ve never experienced it as quiet as the day we went, and we all know why that is. The weather that day was all over the place too, one minute blazing sun and then heavy rain the next, which didn’t deter us as the plan was always to duck indoors when needed.

D saw a group of people carrying in a bench under this tree, which I missed, but we could hear their music playing loudly. We later saw them somewhere else and they looked like they were in a band or something. One of the guys wore a headdress, and there was definitely an otherworldly vibe about them (either that or they were just very stoned). It’s so ironic that I have no pictures of them. Were they just a dream?

Can’t remember what this tree is, but it has obviously evolved a way of defending itself. Ouch.

This greenhouse had lots of plants from Australia in it, which D recognised as she’s been there a couple of times.

Looooove cow parsley aka queen Anne’s lace. The scent reminds me so much of my childhood and how it back then meant that summer and the school holidays were just around the corner.

There’s something about concentric circles that really appeal to me at the moment and I can’t tell you why.

As we were standing on the Sackler bridge (boo hiss) we heard this gal/guy making an awful racket (can geese fly silently? In all my times of swimming in the Ladies Pond and having them fly overhead, they’ve always been honking like mad). Was s/he saying ‘Hey ladies, check this out - I’m gonna blow your miiiiinds!’

Because that’s what s/he did. I’ve never seen a goose up a tree before - have you? We stood and watched for a while wondering what would happen next, but gave up after a few minutes.

Something so strange and very funny kept happening the whole time we were in the gardens. I’d suggest the next place to walk to, look at the map and then get us lost. What the hell was going on? I’ve been to Kew like, I don’t know, at least 15 times and I know it pretty well, but for some reason I just couldn’t get my bearings this time. I guess it might have had something to do with us never sticking to the paths?!

I eventually took D to see my favourite tree, which she immediately recognised as a maritime pine.

Here she is looking at the label just to be doubly sure.

‘Cheers!’ We were surprised to see these in the café where we had lunch and had to try them out. Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers (BEST BEST BEST) and Tea Cakes are the like the best comfort treats there are, but the Caramel Log was not as good. Great packaging though, don’t you think?

Part II coming up!