Time for Kew

Wow, it has been ages since I got to Kew - mainly due to the lousy weather we've been having! However, no rain forecast and no lunchtime football now the season is over, meant yesterday I could go to Kew for the first time since March.

I wanted to see the floral Olympic ring display for myself - last time I went they had just prepared the circles ready - and it's a shame you can't see it from above (except on flight to Heathrow of course!) but they look pretty impressive....

They are set in the grass in front of The Orangery, (which is now a restaurant).

The Waterlily House - no clever special effects here, just the heat misting my lens!!

All the rain has made the greens everywhere really ZING!

 The grounds were alive with the calls of the peacocks - and this one was enjoying a rest on a bench...

Preening and grooming for a lady friend hiding somewhere in the bushes, she was nowhere in sight...

Everything is growing tall!

And outside the Princess of Wales greenhouse, the bright Californian Poppies (some of my favourites) make a grand contrast to the glass.

Crouching down low for a bird's eye view...

The summer exhibition this year features a sculptor called David Nash who is working on various installations - some are in place all around the Gardens.....

 or inside the Palm House.....

Growth on a tree trunk....

This is where he works during the week, in the Wood Quarry, using naturally fallen trees or ones that have died and had to be felled.  It will be interesting to go back and see what's new next time!