Kew Gardens visit

[Richard_G]

I had a day out to kew gardens today and took a few pictures. Here are pics from the cactus house in the Princess of Wales conservatory.

All in all it was a great day out, although sadly I did find myself giving a bunch of kids (and their parents) a telling off, they were trying to twist spines of a very beautiful Myrtillocactus.

Anyways, on to the pics!

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... /Cons1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... /Cons2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... actus1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... actus2.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... puntia.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... cactus.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... cactus.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... s/Noto.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... reskia.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... ithops.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... thops1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... /Cono1.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... /Cono2.jpg[/img]

And I couldn't come back empty handed could I?!!!

The garden centre had a fairly poor stock of cacti, but it had a good selection of seeds and succulents.

I purchased the following:

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... /seeds.jpg[/img]
Setiechinopsis seeds...I have wanted this plant ever since I started collecting! Will the seeds store OK in the fridge until next summer?

[img]http://www.rchrdgrov.pwp.blueyonder.co. ... ps_pot.jpg[/img]
A rather nice mixed pot of mixed lithops...anyone want to take a guess on the species?

[matchat]

I think you should be ok storing the seed Richard, most other growers on here seem to do so without any adverse effects.

I reckon that the bottom left spotty Lithops would be Lithops fulviceps (or at least it looks like mine).

[Vic]

Great pics Richard! I was only there last Thursday afternoon for a few hours but hadn't got around to posting any pics. The Ferocactus glaucescens was a rather impressive specimen, no sign of sooty mold on the aeroles as I suspect they are frequented by ants which keep them looking so fresh. It was only my second visit, having previously been a few years back and from memory there seems to have been some great improvements, all the plants were very clean and made an impressive display. Not quite sure about the new Alpine House though, a very impressive structure but only protecting what was a rockery with a few plants but the landscaping around was excellent.

As for plant sales there were some decent succulents for ?1.95 but I was amazed at the price of some cacti in terracota bowls, smallish Feros etc. nothing special at ?23.50!

[Stuart Estell]

I've only been once, this time last year, and was really impressed by all of it, but especially by some of the clumps of ground-dwelling Opuntias that they had in flower.

Did either of you notice the group of Blossfeldias in the raised bed on the right-hand-side? They are on their own roots and looked pretty old.

[Vic]

Never noticed the Blossfeldias Stuart - perhaps they'd pulled them selves down below ground for the winter!;)

[Greenlarry]

Kew is one place I've never been but always wanted to. Some impressive C&S there,love the Opuntia tree,and was there a Pereskia too! I went to the Birmingham Botanical Gardens many years ago and visited the cacti house,I wonder how that has changed since the early 80,s!

[iann]

You have an actual mixed pot of Lithops, often they are just a bunch of the same species. I can see L. lesliei, L. aucampiae, L. bromfieldii, L. julii, L. karasmontana, L. pseudotruncatella, L gracilidelineata (?), a tiny L. dinteri (?), as well as the L. fulviceps.

The mesemb displays look good, as well as the more obviously impressive big cacti.

Your seed should keep until spring, the only problem would be how long they have been in the hot giftshop

[Nick]

Richard/others - if you want some Setiechinopsis seed pm me - i have a shed-load of it,
Nick

[Stuart Estell]

The plants you sent me have been regular little seed factories too Nick! Prolific little chaps, aren't they

[Maria J]

Nice photos Richard!
I too must return one day as it's 10 years since my last visit!
The collections look fabulous!!