Kew Gardens is the spiritual home of all gardeners, and regular visits must be made in accordance with divine decree. To sit within the Palm House, absorbing the essential energies of flowers and plants from around the globe, is to feel replete. Not to visit Kew, particularly during the inclement month of February, is unthinkable for any but the most boorish denizens of earth.

The cost and effort involved pales into insignificance besides the inestimable value obtained from rubbing shoulders with fellow enthusiasts of the greatest art known to mankind. For those that want to “join”, we “Friends of Kew”, known far and wide from our embossed “cards” blessed by “Management”, have free entrance bestowed on us and our accolytes.

Praise be to the turnstile operators.