Secret day at Hampton Court Palace
Off today for Lorraine's secret day out, planned months in advance by Betty. We took a train up to Kingston, L facebooking like fury, and had a nice meal at Little Italy, and a sip of Pimm's before a spot of shopping. I repaired at this point to wander into All Saints Church, the site (though not the church) of the coronations of Saxon kings, including Ethelred The Unready.
Then off by bus to Hampton Court where we had tickets for The Flower Show. Really enjoyable day out. Amazing amounts of people, some amazing small show gardens to look at (many of them seemed to have a Japanese influence) plus enormous tents to drift about in looking at all kinds of plants, from carnivorous, cacti to pelargoniums, orchids, ferns, roses, and a gazillion other ones. Felt quite inspired by it all. Lorraine really enjoyed herself, and Betty got top marks.
Loads of sites to see, and I attach a few snaps, as they paint a thousand words and so on... Nice for me too because I bumped into my old friend Nikki Gordon Jones, who emerged from the foliage and about 13 years ago simultaneously.
Homeward, caught a river ferry across the Thames, and trained home among people clutching lots of plants. Popped into The Battle of Trafalgar when we returned home for a fast drink with Anton.
Below Betty and Lorraine pushing over the telephone boxes at Kingston, about to enter the show, Beth and Lorraine looking at lavender, and Betty interpreting "Bridge over troubled water" an incontinence-themed garden from a pharmaceutical company.
Then off by bus to Hampton Court where we had tickets for The Flower Show. Really enjoyable day out. Amazing amounts of people, some amazing small show gardens to look at (many of them seemed to have a Japanese influence) plus enormous tents to drift about in looking at all kinds of plants, from carnivorous, cacti to pelargoniums, orchids, ferns, roses, and a gazillion other ones. Felt quite inspired by it all. Lorraine really enjoyed herself, and Betty got top marks.
Loads of sites to see, and I attach a few snaps, as they paint a thousand words and so on... Nice for me too because I bumped into my old friend Nikki Gordon Jones, who emerged from the foliage and about 13 years ago simultaneously.
Homeward, caught a river ferry across the Thames, and trained home among people clutching lots of plants. Popped into The Battle of Trafalgar when we returned home for a fast drink with Anton.
Below Betty and Lorraine pushing over the telephone boxes at Kingston, about to enter the show, Beth and Lorraine looking at lavender, and Betty interpreting "Bridge over troubled water" an incontinence-themed garden from a pharmaceutical company.
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