Hyde Park - A Royal Park (Part 2)

 To enlarge a picture please click on it. Some were taken with a wide angle lens since the parks are so vast.

As you come into the first bit of the gardens you might notice how peaceful it is going into Hyde Park. The picture on the left shows the Serpentine Gallery through the trees. Then the path that keeps you close down the side of the Long Water is on the right.

I love old trees so I am in my element in here, looking over a bit of the Long Water.

A fallen tree laying in the Long Water. In the past a lot of trees were removed if they fell or were dead, but nowadays the value to wildlife of decaying wood has been recognized. As long as they are not too dangerous they are left. More wonderful trees amongst some dead ones.

Everyone who comes here has to come and see Peter Pan's statue; which proves we are all big children at heart. Who has not read the book or seen the films and loved them. The Author Sir J.M. Barrie picked the spot Peter Pan was to stand in. The bedding around it is a bit colorful as well.

Then as you walk up, this is where the Long Water stops and the Italian fountains begin. They were commissioned by Queen Victoria.

The Italian fountains building and more fountains.

A nice view of the fountains and the bedding outside the fountain house.

Bedding by the side of Italian Fountains House and a final look at the fountains. If you go to the top past the House and turn left, after a walk it takes you to Princess Diana's children's playground and Kensington Palace. Kensington Palace was Princess Diana's Home in London.

I liked these on the way back. Another lovely Cedar against the blossom, and the cherry blossom itself.

After going back over the bridge and going past the statue of Isis with Princess Diana's Memorial fountain on the right, you come to these beds. Hostas and then Iris, plus associated other things.

A wonderful Magnolia stellata set against a stunning Magnolia × soulangeana. Then in front of the Lido, which is a cafe, and the swimming club, is this gorgeous European Palm or Chamaerops humilis.

Come in number 22, your time is up! Then as it is another long walk I had some more company!

I love Swans with an escort! But I just wish the escort was not as scruffy as this one!

 The blossom in the Park is gorgeous!

Photinia × fraseri ‘Red Robin’ with an Acer palmatum atropurpureum behind it. The remarkable and lovely peeling bark of a Birch.

Berberis in flower and then this bedding hits you.

A Hyacinth amongst the bedding, and then yellow Tulips in the Rose Garden.

The quite wonderful arches in the Rose Garden.

Just beautiful. This must look stunning when in flower.

Words cannot even describe the next two, on the left is Cedrus deodara 'Deodar'. On the right is an Acer palmatum 'Osakazuki', how about that for a Japanese maple!

It was lovely to see an Acer pseudoplatanus 'Brilliantissimum'; then the surprise of a Pulsatilla in flower after the winter we have had!

A mass of Euphorbia and then a carpet of Sage.

These are the quiet enclaves I love in Hyde Park and indeed many other Parks. It is just a peaceful place to sit and relax, listen to the birds and the other wildlife. A lot of people do not know they are even there as they are not massively colorful; so you just get left alone to read or think, or just watch nature, leaving the turmoil of some other bits of the Park to itself.

As we leave Hyde Park, we cross back on to Constitution Arch. To the south side of the Arch is the Australian War Memorial to the 102,000 Australians who lost their lives. It was opened by H.M. Queen, on Armistice Day November 11th 2003. It is semi circlular in shape and is made from Australian grey\green granite. The names of 47 Battles the Australians fought are carved onto the granite and 23,844 town names the soldiers were born in. Although you cannot see it on the pictures, water continuosly runs over the names from the top.

This is the start of Green park from Constitution Arch. Green Park is a Royal Park and from this start you can follow the Princess Diana walk down the Park. Green Park has no memorials, or lakes and is 47 acres of mostly woodland. It does however adjoin St. James Park that is another Royal Park, lying in between Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Buckingham Palace Gardens and St. James Park. It is a green space that goes from Whitehall, to Victoria, Kensington and up to Notting Hill. St. James park is famous for its pelicans which are fed everyday at 2.30 PM.

Finally a bit of the Royal Artillery Memorial near Constitution Arch. There is also the Machine Gun Corps Memorial  and the New Zealand War Memorial.

I have only shown you a bit of Kensington Gardens, as I wish to go to Kensington Palace and get pictures from there. The other Royal Parks I will go round after the Royal Wedding.

I do hope you have enjoyed your excursion into these amazing places, which are free to the public.

PART 1 CLICK HERE.

Regards.

Neil.

Links.

Kensington Gardens.

Green Park.

Hyde Park.

Constitution Arch + Video.

Transport For London.

For Nancy.