Summer's back!

Today dawned scorching hot...only one thing for it!

I started by taking a different route to the Princess of Wales glasshouse through the Secluded Garden

 plants along the path looking very pretty

 inside, the "Big Stink" is preparing to flower - typically a few hours later, when I was on the train home! at least I didn't have to smell it (rotting flesh apparently!)

 and this little guy was sunning himself on the steps above the waterlilies in the POW glasshouse - haven't seen him for ages!!

 he's on the edge of the side of the steps in this pic, lol

 outside, in the Order Beds.. love the fluffy white behind the Echinops.

 took lots of these!

 and the Echinacea looking great too

 told you I took lots!

 sunflowers

fountains

 the beds in the Dukes Garden, labelled as the Exotic Beds (think due to the colours, they're not particularly exotic species) were as the sign at the gates said, looking fabulous again today.

 down on the path to get these views

 this statue is called The Sower (he's in the Grass Garden)

 "my" fountain, still my favourite place when the sun shines like it was today.

 the Parterre beds outside the Palm House, still looking fabulous - they've been really long lasting this year - the red is now more dominant though

and the water lilies in the Waterlily house

 plants round the outside of the pond, (still inside the Waterlily House) love this one!

 these are in the entrance, there's a couple of beds inside the main door, before you go into the Waterlily House itself

the roof of the Waterlily House, (would have taken a wider angle, if the people would have stopped coming out and getting in the way all the time)

 

 the Orangery - now a restaurant - in days gone by it was (obviously) an Orangery, I also remember it as a gift shop, too.

Red Hot Poker (orange ones, lol!) which just caught my eye as I was about to go.

I was there from 10 till about 12.30 today..  took 250 photos, stopped for water and cake (banana this time) and got very hot!!

Thanks for looking .

Still lots of colour at Kew

I missed being able to go to Kew last Saturday... today dawned cloudy but with a promise (and forecast) of sunshine and high temperatures..So I donned a dress, sunscreen, grabbed a hat and a bottle of water,  and set off for Kew...

By the time I got there, the sun was strong and the clouds departing.  

I saw a burst of white as I walked up the main path from my entrance and went to investigate..

before taking a more familiar route to the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

lots of hot colours outside still..

and inside, I forced my camera to focus on these seed heads rather than the waterlily leaves behind them!

back outside, I headed to the Duke's Garden, which a sign at the gate had told me was looking particularly good at the moment...

the bees thought so!

the alliums are nearly over, but look good still especially against a blue sky!

wispy thick planting, I love this style of border!

love this bold orange too

agapanthus still looking good too

 once I'd finished in the Duke's Garden, walked back through the Grass Garden to the POW house..
don't really like grasses, but these were so soft and fluffy!!

the Alpine House behind the Grass Garden

 I used to have one of these, it's called Aeonium Purpureum something or other!  When I had mine they'd only just started importing them to the UK, but we eventually managed to kill it off ..

 love the big sunflower heads growing in the vegetable garden

 Dill - frothy and pretty!

 more of these!

 Borage (should have picked some for my Pimms!)

 the student beds, lots of colour with the marigolds, used as companion planting to deter insects

 someone's going to have a big pumpkin pie!

 the wild flowers and grasses on the hill have been cut since I was last there

 had to visit the fountain!

 and the red/purple/blue still going strong

 managed to cut most of the people out of this one with a bit of patience!

 Blue Pimpernel (only ever seen Scarlet Pimpernel before)

 inside the Palm House - the bananas are doing well!

 and outside there are still some late roses

 into the Waterlily House - both sets of doors propped open today, with the heat so it didn't fee quite so humid inside

 and the waterlilies were looking fabulous

 back into the Palm House (did lots of walking in circles today!)

 up the top of the walkway, just as England dismissed the last Australian wicket in the Ashes (I was listening on my little radio I always take with me)

 after a trip to the Ladies, the view of the Palm House across the lake again

and a final look at the Palm House.


Went for a slice of cake (should have taken a picture, it was so pretty  -green and pink, Pistachio and Strawberry sponge, layered with a soft cream (not proper cream, would have been too hot for that) and topped with chopped pistachios - expensive but tasty!  Sat eating it in the sun outside the Orangery restaurant - under the shade of a big umbrella.

It was mid-day plus a bit, and very hot, so decided that was enough for today, despite the hat and the suncream, so I headed home.

past the large white agapanthas.
thanks for looking!