My name is Rosie and I’m addicted to Kew Gardens. There, I’ve said it. It all started when we moved into a flat opposite the gardens. First it was the odd visit, somewhere to take the parents, but soon I needed my Kew Gardens fix almost daily. We don’t have a garden so I like to think of Kew Gardens as my own personal 326 acre garden (complete with over 14,000 trees, 2 lakes, a treetop walkway, 4 restaurants and a shop. Not forgetting a Pagoda and historic royal palace.)

I go there to get a hit of beauty and it always leaves me feeling elated. I’m a child-and-family photographer but my second love is flower photography and an afternoon roaming around Kew Gardens with my macro lens is my idea of heaven. Even in Winter there are flowers to enjoy; in the greenhouses, the Alpine house and the oriental gardens. It really is a year-round garden.

The gardens are great for walks but my top tip is to take a picnic and find your own secluded spot where you can stay all day, sitting under the cherry blossoms or by the lake, watching the ducks and swans.

Kew Gardens make me fully appreciate the changing seasons; the joy of Spring, the beauty of Summer, the drama of Autumn and the calm of Winter. I’m not giving it up for anyone.

Gorgeous photo courtesy of Rosie Bray