Rolling with the Punches

The best laid plans go awry – just an opportunity to discover another great place.     

   

Checking my e-mail this a.m. I find that the cottage we had rented in Cheltenham sent us a last minute cancellation.       Rather than waste time, I just booked a hotel.     Not as interesting, but……..    

I had planned this part of our journey to include a tour of the gardens at Wisley.     They had been highly recommended and were having a flower show this week.      As I am checking out the train schedule, I find it is really hard to get there from our hotel.       Four train changes over 3 hours plus a 7 mile cab ride at the end.     Each way!      RJ even offered to rent a car for the day, but that turned into a logistical nightmare, too.      Time to devise Plan B……….

There are botanical gardens at Oxford University, plus it would be a fascinating place to visit.     Off to the train station – where the entrance is closed and fire trucks abound.       We had been here long enough to know the route to the bridge and back to the other side of the train station.     And, we are off…..

The Oxford gardens are nice, although my favorite area was an indoor water garden with the largest lily pads I have ever seen.      I eavesdropped on a guided tour and learned that these huge pads are incredibly strong.      She would even set her bucket on them when cleaning the water structure.        We were able to see two small pads just starting to open as well as a rare flower.      This is the first flower they have had this year and it only blooms for two days.     We were all advised to consider ourselves very fortunate to see this.

These four large pads and the center flower are all from one plant.

 I really liked this drain - not your ordinary cement drain

This plant had a jewel like flower - very unusual

The Oxford campus is very large and so historical.     I have never been a history buff, but it is amazing to hear the history and actually see the locations they are talking about.       I don’t know how many colleges are under the umbrella of Oxford University, but there were many.        

I don't know that I absorbed additional knowledge for having been to Oxford University, but I will admit it is an impressive place.