A visit to Kew

Today, I went to meet my cousin Rosemary at Kew Gardens, somewhere I haven't visited for many years.  I saw this beautiful hibiscus flower in the Palm House, a vast Victorian greenhouse completed in 1848 and dedicated to plants from tropical regions of the world, some now extinct in the wild. This particular hibiscus is called Japanese Lantern and has a delicate appearance.  The Palm House collection is a source of research into medicines and sustainable cropping for scientists at Kew.  For example, the Madagascan Periwinkle is used for anti-cancer medicines.  Apart from that, a lovely day wandering amongst the ancient trees, sitting beside a peaceful lake for a break with home made biscuits and admiring the water lilies on the lily pond.