Kew - two trips one post!

Hi, hope you are well.
I had one last Christmas present to buy and yesterday took myself off to Kew to do so - with my camera, naturally!

I realised also that I haven't shared the pictures of the last time I went in the middle of November - so there are some from that time, too - the last of the autumn colour. Yesterday was pretty cold and frosty and the sky which started out blue - turned to rain.... so there aren't many from yesterday (I was just keen to finish the film..)

The treetop walkway is rusting beautifully and I love the shapes.

view from the top. It was sunny in November!

Back on the ground - looking up into the trees.

Yesterday - the frost was still on the ground (and it was slippy walking!) Love these dogwoods.

View across the lake in front of the Palm House - "my" fountain..  it even  looks cold!

This was a similar view a month ago, with the lovely rusty reds and browns.



Not sure when I'll get back to Kew - obviously not before Christmas - possibly the 31st if the weather and the trains allow!

Happy Christmas!

Another Crisp sunny day at Kew!

Yesterday morning, after my brother, sister-in-law and I had organised the flowers for Mum's funeral on Friday I took myself off to Kew Gardens again. 

The day was sunny but crisp - in fact a perfect October Autumn day.  I arrived at the sort of time I normally leave - 11am - but because of that, though it was busier with people, it was more beautiful - especially yesterday - the sun was higher in the sky (blue sky!) and it was GLORIOUS.  I went through 2 and a half rolls of 36 exposure films (I may go digital some time, honest!) 

The trees are turning gorgeous colours, but with the sun shining bright through the leaves, they looked fabulous - the greens really zinged!!   Here are some of my favourites.

this is one of my absolute favourites for months - the sun was right overhead the end of the Palm House entrance and I love the way it is shining through, throwing the building almost into silhouette.

Hope I get to go again soon to get the colous at their peak, but we'll see!

1st Oct - HOT HOT HOT at Kew

Wow, yesterday continued HOT and very un-October like! I decided to take a couple of hours at Kew before visiting Mum in the hospital again. 

Turns out the trains were only on half the normal service (engineering works!) but still.... glorious - TOO hot for me in fact, I don't like it!!  But I wanted to see the start of the autumn colour as Kew have been tweeting about the changing colours, so off I went.

 Love the light at this time of year - these were all taken between 9.30 and 11 in the morning when I left. Dappled sunlight, dew on the grass, and then bright bright sunshine!

The trees are only just turning, but some of them were beautiful.

Looking lush inside the Palm House, too!

What a blue sky!

Missed the best of Kew's sunflowes - must ask my neighbour if I can photograph his - there are some stunners downstairs!

And it was bright enough to take these from outside the Princess of Wales glasshouse.

Hope to get back again soon, when the leaves will probably be better!

My days playing tourist in London

Some of you know from my crafting blog that I am enjoying a few days off work and this week I spent a couple of days in London - just walking around with my camera, playing tourist!  It is something I love to do but haven't done enough of for some time.

Both days were cloudy and overcast so the photos aren't great, but I did a lot of walking each time and had a great time.

 In no particular order!  Some of these are from Wednesday, some Friday.

Inside the British Museum - love that roof!  Must go back to take a picture just of the roof...

Victoria & Albert museum, courtyard garden.  There is a sign saying you can paddle, but must keep your clothes on..... I decided not to...

Paternoster Square, City of London.

 St Paul's Cathedral

Temple Bar - ancient entry gate to theCity of London

 Tower Bridge opening to let a Thames barge through.  Great timing!

St Katharine's Dock - I remember when they started redeveloping here  - these modern flats (sorry, I mean luxury apartments, lol!)

Liberty's in Regent Street.

And some very modern bright apartments (can't remember where I was when I saw these!!)

Canary Wharf tube station.

The "Gherkin" office building taken from the Tower of London - love how the old and the new mix together in our very crowded city!

The Tower of London.

Buckingham Palace in the background behind St James' Park. It was windy as you can see from the spray of the fountain!  Shortly after this (this was the Wednesday) it rained - and I had no coat or umbrella....

I took loads more, but think this is enough!!

Kew - for a change!

Yesterday dawned sunny and warm and the sky was blue. So, it was off to Kew again!

 Someone is doing a time lapse project in the Waterlily house, and has a great camera set up - taking photos every few seconds - but there was no-one around to ask why or what for!  I shall have to check the Kew website.

I went up the iron staircase in the Palm House to get a view from the viewing platform that runs round the middle section - this is what it looks like! it is so much more humid up amongst the tops of the plants, it's amazing!

They have  replanted the Rose Garden this summer and most of them are finished, but got this bird's eye view kneeling on the grass!

And another of my favourite areas this summer has been the wild flowers - the poppies from last time are nearly gone - but I got some more low down shots here too. I've always liked this type of shot.

The poppy heads are so pretty.