The Slips and wildflower meadow

Careful inspection of the stream in The Slips reveals that it is man-made and perhaps an object lesson for some of today's mass-produced fibreglass efforts. Alongside, there are rich and varied plantings of magnolias, pieris and cornus. Throughout the summer, interest is maintained by a carpet of Mediterranean shrubs, including rock roses and Jerusalem sage.

At the top of The Slips - on the left looking back towards the Mansion - is a wildflower meadow. From early May, the wild flowers growing there include two native orchids; the green winged orchid (Orchis morio), one of the earliest into flower, followed by the taller Jersey orchid (Orchis laxiflora). They were raised from seed at Kew as part of the Sainsbury Orchid Conservation Project and were the first to be successfully planted out from glasshouse to open garden. Kew is constantly learning more about how to introduce rare orchids back into suitable habitats.

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