During school holidays, we always like to take our granddaughter Eleanor, aged 6, away for at least one night, to start to show her the world. This week it was to London: always busy, but buzzing and vibrant. And despite the half-term crowds, the only time we were queueing was right at the start, to get on to the cable-car across the Thames. But in fact the wait of nearly an hour was quite fortuitous: we started queuing in heavy cloud and light rain …

… but once aloft the sun came out …

… and by touchdown it was clear blue skies! At least for a few minutes, until the grey gloom settled in once again.

After lunch, it was back under the river to Canary Wharf, the glass cathedrals to business now softened with the newly created and very attractive Eden Dock garden.

Time then before it got dark for the playpark in Greenwich Park before we headed to the Greenwich Premier Inn for a very comfortable night. After breakfast next morning we took the opportunity for a walk around the back of the hotel and a view over Deptford Creek, one of those tidal tendrils of the Thames, once so important for trade and commerce. It may be hemmed in by development, but it must look quite impressive at high water. And there were Mallards and a Grey Wagtail to brighten up the dull day, as well as a team of Large White caterpillars demolishing a cabbage!

The Horniman Museum and Garden was out destination for the second day.

Situated in Forest Hill, it really is on a hill, and we were very pleasantly surprised at the views of London from the top of the garden, snapshots of familiar places between the trees.

What attracted us there was the butterfly house, thinking Eleanor would find that exciting. As of course did we: a great place for taking photographs (once the lenses stopped steaming up) of unfamiliar butterflies and caterpillars, along with tropical flowers and even a Cottony Cushion Scale-insect.

Although the end of October, it was still mild outside so there were insects there as well in the lovely gardens, with ecological plantings, interesting flowers and autumn colours:

Yes, Eleanor did enjoy the butterfly house, although as much for flowers and foliage as for the butterflies as her photos show:

But what really seemed to inspire her efforts with Granny’s phone camera was the garden. We do rather forget that those of smaller stature see the world very differently to us, framed by fences and barriers that we quite literally overlook.

She was clearly taken by some of the more showy flowers …

… but also the colours, patterns and textures of the leaves around her. It is a privilege to share some more of her photos – the world as seen through the eyes of a child!

And then all that was left was a visit to the playpark across the road (‘fun’ is always needed, as well as ‘interesting’), serenaded by squawking hordes of Rose-ringed Parakeets, and home after a lovely couple of days.