Bankside wonders!

Well today was a surprise! Woke up to find that it had rained during the night! Not a lot, just enough to wet the ground, and was going to continue for a few hours, then a sunny afternoon.

My sister gave me a lift to the station and I caught the train to Waterloo, then walked up to the river bank and along to Bankside, where I had arranged to see the garden at No. 49. My Blip today is of the front of the house, the narrow white piece. I was welcomed at the door, given a coffee and taken out to see the garden at the back of the house. It's fairly small, probably not more than 40 or 50ft long and 12 ft wide, but full of so many amazing plants, a small pond and what Adam said was probably the highest garden wall in London - at least 50 ft tall! I was taken up four floors in the house to see what was once a roof garden, but is now a conservatory with an outside terrace. Over the roof to the front is St Paul's Cathedral, to one side is Bankside Power Station, now the Tate Modern, on the other side the thatched roof of the new Globe Theatre. It would take a side of A4 to describe everything I saw and we discussed!

I had a good look at the garden and we talked a lot of plant talk. His partner Colin insisted on digging up a piece of some Vietnamese herb for me to take home and I was given a cutting of something else rare! I was made so welcome it was almost unbelievable and was told to make sure I rang the doorbell if I ever passed by again! I told them that my visit was the highlight of my week and I meant it! My extra today is of the back of the house from the neighbouring Community Garden.

After that I found my way to Canary Wharf in brilliant sunshine and visited the London Museum Docklands, in particular the 'Secrets of the Thames' mudlarking exhibition. All very interesting, but my hip was shouting at me so I'll need to see the rest of the Museum another time. Then back to Waterloo on the Jubilee Line and thence to Hampton. A wonderful day out!