Over Due

Hello everyone! I know I’ve been neglecting this poor blog, but I’m here to say I am still alive and well! I just left Edinburgh this morning and now I am settling into London and I start my first day at Royal Botanic Gardens Kew tomorrow. It has always been a childhood dream of mine to live in London and work at Kew, and now it is finally happening!

I really should be getting ready for tomorrow, so this won’t be a substantial post in the way of words. It hope a parade of pretty pictures will satisfy most of you. These photos are all from around Scotland (RBGE = Royal Botanic Garden Edinbrugh, GBG = Glasgow Botanic Gardens).

The pleasingly prehistoric Ferns & Fossils House. RBGE

Another view of the Fern & Fossils House. RBGE

There is desert fern Notholaena standleyi in the Arid Lands House. RBGE

Here is tropical Rhododendron (Vireya) Rhododendron christi in the Montane Tropical House. RBGE

Here is Primulina tamiana in the Montane Tropical House. RBGE

Here is another Rhododendron christi, but this time growing out of a bed of feathery Selaginella. RBGE

The frothy flowers of Begonia angularis in the Temperate Lands House. RBGE

The icy-white flowers of Vinca difformis glow in the soft light by the John Hope Gateway. RBGE

Here is Helleborus cyclophyllus braving the biting cold in the Woodland Garden. RBGE

Also braving the cold is Primula sibthorpii. RBGE

There is a bench full of Begonia socotrana grown from wild collected seed from a collecting trip during the 1990’s. RBGE

Here is the extremely rare Pelargonium insularis from the island of Socotra. RBGE

An aroid blooming in one of the backup glasshouses. RBGE

What looks like a mass of little aliens is a Gymnospermium albertii waking up for the year. RBGE

Primula allionii beginning to flower in the backup alpine houses. RBGE

This Dionysia afghanica is only 1.5″ wide and 11 years ago it was as big as a pinky fingernail – cute! RBGE

Here is another Primula allionii. It’s so tiny! RBGE

This is Agapetes variegata var macrantha and I’ve never seen such big flowers on this genus before! RBGE

Now this little lovely is another tropical Rhododendron:  Rhododendron himantodes. RBGE

This is hybrid Pterostylis ‘Nodding Grace’. The flowers remind me of a thirsty goblin. RBGE

A tiny Narcissus, possibly Narcissus assoanus. RBGE

This teeny weeny orchid might be an Appendicula sp. (Thanks Marc for the partial ID.) RBGE

I found his beautiful arrangement of orchids in the back up greenhouses. The large orchid with the black throat is a Dendrobium nobile type, while I can’t remember the name of the lovely white one. RBGE

This tranquil scene is a moss sanctuary at RBGE Benmore.

This recently refurbished Victorian fern house is also at RBGE Benmore.

Here are some young Araucaria trees in the Chilean Garden at RBGE Benmore.

Here is a shot of one of the gardens at RBGE Logan.

This quaint bed of snowdrops had my swooning all day. RBGE Logan

This is Sparmannia africana and when my mentor for the week flicked the flower I watched with amazement as the anthers in the flower quickly spread out. RBGE Logan

The flowers of Calliandra haematocephala are wonderfully soft and I like the very cheery red. GBG

Not a flower, but a seed pod of Glottiphyllum angustum. GBG

This lovely thing is hybrid orchid Coelogyne ‘Unchained Melody’. GBG

This beardy orchid is Coelogyne barbata. GBG

These are tender Primula malacoidea – type hybrids. GBG

I love the orange bell flowers of this Kalanchoe. Looks like a species, but it may be a hybrid. GBG

These trusses of tiny flowers belong to Dendrochilum tenellum. Fragrant too! GBG

I think this is Blechnum orientale, but whatever it is the new fronds are glorious! GBG

This little orchid is Scaphosepalum verrucosum. The flowers look like little vipers to me. GBG

This amazing room is the Filmy Fern Room at the Glasgow Botanic Gardens.

The Clivias in the living room continue to bloom and bloom!

Something you wouldn’t find in the US – a castle in the middle of town!

Is it just me or is there a skull in this Eucalyptus tree? RBGE

I had such a wonderful time in Edinburgh that leaving was a little bittersweet. However, I have a feeling that this isn’t goodbye for good. I know that was really short, but I’ll be back with more posts soon – I promise. Talk to you all soon!