Kew does have a 'train' for those who prefer not to walk or experience rainfall - more specifically the 'Kew Explorer' people mover. But if I were you I'd bring a sturdy brolly and poncho and stick it out in the open - you'll soon forget the wet for all the amazing plants. Should conditions really deteriorate the northern end of the park offers denser tree cover. In any case indoors is arguably just as fascinating as outdoors at Kew. If you do get to see behind the scenes, don't get waylaid by mucky horticulturalists or weird herbarium people - the real jewels of Kew are to be found amongst the Jodrell research staff... jokes! :oP

Hi Ramses, You are right, I should have said "rarely" or overpriced rather than never! I know there was money in the US at the time (several branches of my family are counted in Burkes Peerage and well documented in American history ... on a minor scale!). I have a library full of art and architecture books on Newport (toured some of the houses as well), Philly Main Line, Long Island, McKim Meade & White (architects), and even one book dedicated specifically to the Vanderbilts. If one looks at Vizcaya in Miami, Deering and Chafin shopped endlessly in Europe while the house was being built. And let's not forgot Fifth Avenue! The difference is that for those houses there is a big financial gap in the purchasing power and "scale" of the antiques of those home owners from the "average" wealthy American. A lot of the really great stuff is either still in private hands or in museums. Still, the stuff is fab. Yes, great "Grande Tour" items can still be found in the US! I think what Igloochic is probably going to do is take advantage of the fact that antique furniture is not "hot" here like it is in the US. Better prices here (dirt cheap) if you can fill a container of one's own and ship it home. I think she is going about it the right way. And NOBODY has ANY right to guilt her as Mother for taking this trip. I AM DISGUSTED and APPALLED!!!!!!!!!! This is not a diaper forum (although the amount of S**T comments I often read on here makes me think otherwise). Igloochic asked for antiques recommendations, NOT MOTHERING ADVICE! GOOD GOD LINDA, LET IT GO and mind your own family!!! Before Igloochic's question I had stopped coming on here because I was tired of the all-knowing, judgemental comments (yes, NOW I'M MAD!!!) And Angeldog! I, like you, enjoy new people piping in (just sorry for so much defensive piping on this one)! I will try to post a couple of pics of my Swiss flat (be warned, I am not a very good photographer, lol!) I will include some pics of my NYC flat before I moved all of that to this place. Like Igloochic I am working on filling my filling my Victorian house (I have a container in Connecticut waiting for me) so my "work in progress" will be awhile. And the farmhouse! AH! My beloved farmhouse! It is a 1790's house built from the remains of an even older barn. The interior beam framing in the attic is SPECTACULAR! It is an "ancestral"/family home I am grateful to have ... except I haven't gone in about two years, lol. The Victorian porches were just removed last year and I'll see if I can find the pics that were sent to me. I will do a separate post. Igloochic, GO FOR IT! I cannot wait to see how you progress along. You are inspiring. Tschüss, Baer

We participated in a kitchen tour just after ours was completed - it was a fundraiser for the NICU in a local hospital (where I sometimes work), which is the only reason I agreed to do it! We were told NOT to be home during the tour, but I trusted the volunteer staff to keep an eye on things. They were stationed at the front door, and posted in several places inside, directing traffic to the correct place. Visitors either took off their shoes at the door, or put on disposable booties, so dirt was not an issue. The flow of traffic from room to room was clearly marked, and the adjacent rooms were roped off. A local upscale housewares company set my dining room table with stunning crystal and china (no, I didn't get to keep it!) My house never looked so good! It was fairly stressful, because I changed my dining room light fixture at the last minute (something I had been meaning to do for quite some time), and thoroughly cleaned up the whole place, inside and out, ahead of time. I removed all pictures of family and identifying information from view, so it felt more anonymous. Yes, I still felt a little vulnerable letting strangers into my home, but it was a trust thing. I was very flattered to be asked. Tickets were pricey enough that only people really interested in houses/kitchens came through - not the casual/curious tag sale crowd. It was not judged, but we got really nice compliments and feedback (reported to us by the volunteers who were stationed at my house). Most people just looked and didn't touch, but some opened cabinets/closets, etc. like they were buying a house, so I suggest you clean the inside of your cabinets, too!

I'm going to come back and read this more carefully later... but for now, WOW! I'm scanning through these photos and all I can think is your neighbors must be incredibly envious! Either that, or they are benefiting from all your hosta when you have to split them. You must have a huge yard! And I'm so embarrassed that I DID buy some hosta from The Home Depot just yesterday to give myself something pretty to look at while my hosta all recover from back-to-back hail storms. I'll get myself to a nursery tomorrow and get some "proper" hostas. Stunning. Spectacular. Gorgeous. Incredible. LOVE everything about your gardens. Thanks for sharing such inspiring photos!