It's Saturday - it's Kew!

 So, another early alarm call (but woke before it..)  a bunch of regular Saturday visitors at the gate by 8am.. 

the weather was very different to yesterday though it did brighten up later

celebratory star jump for early access

the greylags and babies were still by the pond 

round bed at top of Broad Walk 

heading down Broad Walk 

headed over to Kew Palace to go into the Queens Garden

peonies are on the way over to there

the garden at the back

the laburnum arch I didn't get to  yesterday - a fair bit of colour, but much less growth than previous years - several new shoots over the arches though 

the sun was shy early on so not very bright 

back 

and front of the water feature 

by the Orangery restaurant

we did manage to see one fox cub where I had yesterday, but it didn't hang around - we could see another behind the tree but it stayed out of sight 

just along from their den is a low growing wisteria  - one in purple

and one in white 

in the grass garden

along the wall bordering rock garden/evolution garden (this side)

big peonies in rock garden

one of the beds on the other half of evolution garden

in the peony garden

rhododendron in the woodland garden,  no sprinklers on today

Palm House pond, on our way for our free cup of tea

the 2 swans (we think are the same we see on lake)

they were paddling round and round quite fast

trying the "wig" image again....

at the steps changed the lens for a wide angle shot

the swans on the far side,  

suddenly they took to the air and flew off (presumably to the lake)

wrong lens on... 

a few action shots hoping for the best!

if I'd had the zoom or the macro lens on I wouldn't have been able to get both in the same shot, so maybe this was for the best. 

we headed to the cafe for refreshments 

I can't see to upload to FB with the sunnies on.... 

after we'd finished we headed for the lake before it got to 10 and people came in!!

there are signs going up at the Henry's which suggest there will be a map and trail to tick them off (just out of shot)

nearing the lake, we came across 3 Canada geese and 13 babies - we haven't seen any young Canada geese this year until today  

not sure if they are 2 families together or a "creche" like we've seen before 

they carefully crossed the road...

and carried on their way

on the path round the lake, 2 greylags, chilling 

by the bench we met Peter, and an Egyptian goose family...

cute!

one of the swans was by the lake edge

the second swan swam into sight 

they make great reflections

as we carried on round the lake, we came across a single swan on the grass, preening. 

and a bit further on, another Canada goose family

two babies, but check out Mum's wing, I think there are more under there....

yep, a third one popped out

and yes, a fourth  

they headed off for a walk with mum and dad....

but a few steps later had to stop for a rest... 

near the top of the lake

into the woodland walk 

the sun was more or less through the clouds now 

round by the bird feeders  

we were looking for Goldie,

and he appeared from behind me and jumped up onto the bench

after a few minutes he got bored and jumped down and ran back under the bushes he'd appeared from on the other side of the path to the benches. 

we carried on our way

into the Temperate House 

leaving the TH,  walking through the Mediterranean garden,  love ceanothus 

and the delphiniums are flowering 

the Judas tree is looking good 

the cistus are starting to flower 

taken from a bench where we'd stopped for a breather 

heading back towards the Broad Walk now 

can't resist the alliums both sides of the path

and the euphorbia

heading round the back of the pond on our way to the exit

I think they have more jets on than sometimes;  still no replacement statue for Hercules, though 

by the side of the pond, the greylags from first thing were now under the shade of trees, with their fluffballs!  

I paused at the exit again, still with the camera this time

looking good in the sun.

and then off home.

thanks for looking once again, I don't think I'll be back again this weekend... so seeyou Saturday!