Kew.. the one where Kirsten came too..

Quite by chance it turned out, my friend Kirsten and her friend Jen who is visiting from California, were heading to Kew today so we arranged to try and meet up somewhere inside!

It was chilly, but lovely and bright as I left home, with a watery sun... which soon more or less disappeared so this (combined with lots of chatting) means lots less photos today!

Lots of the leaves are falling now, but the trees still have lots of colour and they're rich now.

 it would be better if the sky were blue, and the sun shining, but you can't have perfection every visit!

 nice to see the work progressing on the Broad Walk, (plus Christmas trees have arrived ready for the Christmas Trail next month)
This bed is obviously marked out ready for some intense planting!

Sun was still out at this time as you can see by my shadow!

 the light was quite low, but I low the shadows it throws on the grass

 wouldn't be Kew without a shot of the fountain.. is better in full sun, so I didn't bother changing lenses...

and there was enough sun to get some good shots of the leaves

 the spring/summer bedding has been removed from the Parterre outside the Palm House, and it's been well dug over ready for the next planting - the gulls were very interested too!

 still got the bedding in the beds outside the Waterlily house

 most of the blooms are past there best now, but this pink one was still looking great.

 my lens was partly misted over still from the humidity inside, but I love the effect it's given this shot. There was only one other photographer inside (with some fabulous looking kit on her camera!) so it was great to get such a people-free shot!

 caught sight of these berries that she'd been snapping too...

 and this just inside the main door to the waterlily house.

 nipped into the Palm House to see if Kirsten and Jen were in there...

In the end I got her number (long story!!) and rang her - they were in the Princess of Wales glasshouse, so headed over there...



where I saw them watching ....

 the Chinese Water Dragon.

 we headed outside again and past this beauty..

 love this one!

and so many trees full of berries..

 this is always one of my favourite trees at this time of year.  looking gorgeous, although again, it's dropped a lot of leaves, so you can see the branches between the rich colours now.

 quite a carpet of leaves round it's base as you see.

and just to prove Kirsten was here!

and while I was taking the one of the tree above, Kirsten was taking this..





I love the symmetrical pose we made without realising it! Thanks for letting me use it, Kirsten.

 we headed for a coffee (and cake...)  past more lovely trees

 and twisted stumps round the base of a vine outside the Pavilion restaurant where we stopped

 gorgeous red  - again, would be best if the sun had come out!

 this shrub was huge, well over 8 feet I reckon, both in height and almost as much in width - and smothered in berries

 we were heading for the Treetop Walkway before Kirsten and Jen headed for their next stop on their day in London...

 I stopped on a bit longer, and grabbed some more shots

 I know these are autumn flowering crocus, but it seems quite a contrast between them and the rusty red and gold trees.

 and this mossy branch caught my eye

before I headed for my exit and the way home.

I decided not to go into the Handmade at Kew event taking part so I don't know if it was any good - though from the leaflet I saw on my way out I am guessing I couldn't have afforded to buy anything anyway!!

Hope you enjoyed today's trip..