Wakehurst Place

Just over a week ago we visited Wakehurst Place. It was a glorious, 

cold autumn day and we were well wrapped up.

Wakehurst Place is The National Trust's most visited place and it is open throughout the year. It is the country estate of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Wakehurst has conserved seeds from ten per cent of the world's plant species.

Here are the laboratories.

Seed sculptures.

An interesting project close to the buildings.....

 Clay sculptures by children ....

We set off to walk some of the 465 acres admiring the autumn colours which have only just begun to show.

We passed lakes, reflecting the autumn glory and bird hides overlooking the water. 

We only saw a pied wagtail....no photos unfortunately.

Our path was strewn with colour.

 Many weird and wonderful artworks amidst the trees and foliage.

Amazingly, amongst those many acres, we met up with friends, quite by accident which was a very pleasant surprise. We had lunch together.

In the late afternoon we visited the walled garden, promising ourselves to come in June.

There was still colour around in some flowers, related to helichrysum I think.... and bees of course.

 

The nerines were looking pretty ghostly in the last of the sun.

All in all a lovely visit.

We would like to go at a different time of the year next time.