When we reached this glasshouse I was so excited to get inside – I remembered my last visit, where this particular house was one of the highlights. This is Kew’s third major conservatory, designed by architect Gordon Wilson, and opened in 1987 by Diana, Princess of Wales The conservatory houses ten computer-controlled micro-climatic zones, with the bulk of the greenhouse volume composed of Dry Tropics and Wet Tropics plants. I will never forget the brilliance of different orchids, water lilies, cacti and bromelias.
But…as I was lost in the cacti department, there was some buzzling and I heard people saying ”they are closing now”. But that must be impossible! There was one and a half hour left before closing time…and when I checked the site four days ago, before our flight, only the Temperate House and the Pagoda was supposed to be closed, and the elevator to the walkway out of order, nothing else…
I became rather stressed and had to rush the photographing in order to at least see the giant, Victoria amazonica, waterlilies. Their very large green leaves lie flat on the water’s surface, and they are up to 3 metres (9.8 ft) in diameter, on a stalk up to 8 metres (26 ft) in length. The genus name was given in honour of Queen Victoria…
…and I managed some shots there too before we were ”thrown out” in the cold. It turned out that the whole place was hired for a wedding – so, sadly enough not all of my friends managed to see the giants. Some lovely shots were saved for my next post, tomorrow.
Leya 
The last image is wonderful. The flowers look like crowns on the cacti. So fitting for a Diana conservatory. 🙂
I agree, Marie. She was much loved.
Good post. Nice pictures of cactus too.
Thank you! Do you like cacti?
I do. Love the flowers that bloom on them sometimes. Even if it is for only 24 hours
Taggar i massor på de fina bilderna
Precis – men varierande!
It is a lovely Glass House, great modern design and creative in its plantings. If that was the only one at Kew I would leave well pleased, but after seeing the other two Victorian Glasshouses / Pavilions, I prefer there larger majesty….. that said I would have it in my garden anyday 🙂
I am living in Texas right now….enduring the summer heat (100+ degrees), I am very impressed by the cactus. With no water, it’s as happy as can be. All other things (trees, grass, flowers, bushes) were struggling in the heat and dry conditions.
Yesterday, Hurricane Harvey hit the coast of Texas (3 hours away from here). There was a drought, but not anymore. Along with high wind, some places got over 30 inches of rain in one day. Too much at one time!. By the time the storm traveled up here to San Antonio, the wind was not as strong and it has only rained about 2 inches (so far). First time it has rained here in a while!
Saw about it on TV. The storm. Terrible. But cacti – I wonder how they work with too much rain. All they need for surviving is inside them.
Love that last image, A C
Thank you, Sue!
What amazing plants, dear Anne-Christine! And they seem rather happy to be together. 🙂
I believe they are happy with each other. Cacti make fun combos.
Ha-ha-ha! My budgies liked to communicate with cacti. I don’t know what exactly attracted them. It looked very funny: a singing budgie at the pot. Though they realized that cacti were spiny & never touched thorns. 🙂
Strange
Oh, well….budgies have some odd habits 🙂