#11 Best times to visit Kew, especially for trees

[kaberett]

Oh goodness, I've only been visiting since late summer, so I'm not sure I've actually got a terribly good handle on this! Definitely I have readers who are more familiar with the place than I am, so I encourage you to weigh in in comments, but--

Light through autumnal oak leaves, red and gold, against blue sky.

-- I adore the oak walk. I suspect I will adore it as much in spring with just-barely-green and summer with full leaf cover as I do in autumn, and I am going to enjoy it in winter too because bare branches are A Thing and I love how structural oaks are -- at which point that's not terrible helpful, because I've basically gone "Quercus are always amazing, go any time of year!!!"

I am similarly fond of gingko; there follow three photos from a few weeks back taken in fact on the A4 rather than in Kew, but -- there's a couple of gorgeous big gingko trees in the gardens, which are as might be expected spectacular in late autumn.

Kew also has an excellent collection of Wollemi pines, which are pretty much good all year round.

... honestly, I am pretty much an autumn person - it's my absolute favourite season, with some trees going bare and chestnuts everywhere and leaves beginning to turn and holly coming into its own and autumn crocuses - but I do also adore botanical gardens in the spring, so I'm looking forward to that especially too. The glasshouses are good all year round; I'm a big fan of alpines (which again I associate with late summer/early autumn) and of kitchen gardens (which I prefer in late summer/early autumn because that's when the majority of exciting things are fruiting), so! I am biased. I am hideously biased. But: lots of excellent trees, fantastic selection, Kew is very good, if any of you ever want to visit I am a member so get a guest in free, please do let me know.

Comments

[redbird]

Is that top ginkgo really that orange? All the ones I know turn yellow in autumn and yes, different continent, but the same species.

[forestofglory]

Trees!

(Also I would love to visit Kew with you, if we can ever make timing work.)

[calissa]

Wollemi pines! That is super cool. I didn't know they had been planted outside of the country. The Wollemi National Park is not far from here, in the grand scheme of things (which is to say a 4-5 hour drive).

I love that oak photo at the top of the post. The colours are so lovely!

And it is so nice to see the ginkgo. I had to trim mine recently, lest it outgrow its pot.