Saturday, January 24, 2015

A Crisp Morning at Kew

Hopefully you're not bored with the Kew photos...there is something new to see every time... This morning was gloriously sunny and despite being cold it wasn't anywhere nearly as cold as it's been in recent days - temperatures with above zero!!

 From the station you walk across Kew Bridge towards the Gardens, and I don't usually have the camera out of the bag, but it was looking gorgeous today, though I don't envy the rowers out in such chilly weather on the river!
 Inside the Gardens. Sun shining brightly, making lovely long shadows across grass and the sky was blue.. a really lovely January day.
 Sadly, the water was turned off at "my" fountain and the water was no longer frozen, but this is still my favourite part of the Gardens.
 look at the sky, and the reflections!! January, for goodness sake!! Lovely.


 Just lovely!
 the Spring bedding outside the Palm House has been planted, and will be gorgeous.
 Inside the Palm House my lens was misting up in the steamy heat, but it was looking green and lush.
 For a change, I took a walk up the staircase to get a rooftop view round the Palm House.

 where you get a much better idea of the size of the palms and ferns!
 I love the wrought iron staircases too.
 Though lots of the trees are yet to burst into new leaf, they make fabulous shapes against the sky.
 and more shadows

 close up of a tree trunk
 and the Henry Moore sculpture again,
wet with dew drops from the melting frost

 the lake by the Sackler Crossing was partly frozen, and I love the leaves frozen into the ice!
 sun shining through the reeds

 the sun is low at this time of year, but love the almost silhouetted reflections






Lots of ducks and geese and a couple of swans on the lake

this is the Sackler Crossing itself, love it's curved S shape across the lake.
the Rooftop Walkway, one of the newest features of the gardens, though it's been here a few years now.





 Love how they created the rusted trunks of the structure to blend into the  surrounding trees
 walking back from the Treetop Walkway, I put the long lens on and got some more shots of the Henry Moore through the trees.
Wonderful colour and pattern in this huge tree trunk
 back past the Palm House Lake, on my way to my final stop of the morning....
 the Princess of Wales Glasshouse,


Where they are preparing for their annual Orchid display... it looks as if it will be more spectacular than ever this year! It was nice to be here with the work in progress, never managed that before,

beautiful Bromeliad on show.

The Orchid display opens on 7th February, in just a couple of weeks, so come back then and I'll take you along with me!

6 comments:

Lin said...

Helen I think these are my favorite so far!!! all the reflections and the shadows are amazing!! I'm coming on one of your trips very soon lol xx

sam21ski said...

WOW Helen, what fantastic photos, usually I have a couple of favourites but I love all of these, that white staircase looks very unstable and scary as does the rooftop walk, not that I'm afraid of heights or anything, it just doesn't look safe from here - lol. Pity the water in 'your' fountain was switched off, but not to worry, next time hopefully xxx

margaret said...

Great pictures Helen you are lucky it is so near to you. Margaret

Kirsten said...

Bored with your Kew photos?? As if!!! These are just stunning. I love the shapes & shadows & the patina on the Henry Moore sculpture is beautiful.

Neesie said...

I've never been to Kew but after seeing your fantastic photos it's now pretty high up on my list! Gorgeous pics... thanks for taking me along ;)

craftimamma said...

Helen I could never tire of looking at your gorgeous photos of Kew or anywhere else! These are stunning and I love the reflections too. I also really love the pic of the spiral staircase inside the Palm House (glad I don't have to paint that, lol)! I have to smile at your close ups of tree bark or dew drops, etc., because my OH thinks I'm mad when I do that ..... he has no beauty in his soul imo!

Once again a lovely 'by proxy' trip round Kew Gardens and I very much look forward to the next one.

Hugs
Lesley Xx