Exploring Nature's Wonders at Kew Gardens!
Last month we had a fantastic joint day out with Beckenham Lunch Club and Remarkable! Club to the beautiful Kew Gardens in Richmond for their Community Day. The outing was jam-packed with tours, talks, walks and woodland exploration, and every session came with its own BSL interpreter!
We kicked off with a garden tour, learning about the varieties of plants at the gardens, from the towering redwoods to the young hybrid trees. After a break for a drink, we stopped by the crafts to make a pagoda dragon, then headed off to a secluded area of the gardens for 'Forest Bathing'. Thankfully this was not a literal bath, and we stayed quite dry! The technique is a new Japanese style of relaxation, involving 'feeling' the living world around you and looking for patterns and natural beauty in the flora and fauna.
To top off a peaceful day, we were offered a private tour and walk up the Chinese-style Pagoda. 10 storeys high and 253 steps, we were out of breath but thrilled to reach the top, where we took a moment to take in the views and the atmosphere before heading back and home in time for tea!
Thank you to all the staff, volunteers and interpreters at Kew for such a lovely day! We hope to be back soon!
