Narcissus and Friend

It was time for another visit to RHS Wisley, this time to have a look round the Old Laboratory.

The Old Laboratory was the home for RHS Science for over a century, and instrumental in Wisley’s mission to conduct practical scientific research into ornamental horticulture and provide training for student gardeners.  With the staff and students moving to their new purpose-built RHS Hilltop site in 2021, the grade II-listed building has been restored to show some of Wisley's history and was opened to the public for the first time yesterday.  I spent a fascinating hour walking round, and in particular enjoyed the temporary exhibition of RHS botanic water studies signed by royalty, including the 3 plates created for and signed by our late Queen Elizabeth II, the last one on the occasion of her Platinum Jubilee in 2022, which were stunning.


I took a walk round the main gardens looking for subjects for the Tiny Tuesday Challenge of "Flowers". There were some lovely spring flowers around, but my eye was drawn by this small narcissus, Narcissus bulbcocdium, in the Alpine House, complete with my first hoverfly sighting of the season.