Today saw the final 8am opening before the days get too short and the mornings too dark... there were quite a crowd of us at the gate waiting entrance this morning!
it was very overcast at 8 but the Palm ouse parterre is still full of colour
and the trees were making good reflections in the pond
Autumn is advancing quite fast now...
I wanted to head for where I finished last week, to get
so it was a quick walk down the Broad Walk, but this euphorbia caught my eye
and the verbena
waved (mentally) to the Hive as I passed...
pausing only to look at the trees behind the beds
wanted to capture some better pics of the hare that I rushed last week, and to see what else there was along this path..
he looks like he's throwing his hands up in despair!
I'd seen this one briefly before all the signs went up
hmm... ok, it's a seed pod.... but it looks luck a bum to me!
let's move on to some colour, quickly!!
had to stop and look at this one again
I love her!
you could tell this was a magnolia tree,
the porcelain so delicate on the copper stems
this was by Philip Blacker,
well we all love an agapanthus, so this is bound to be good!
it was another of the ones in place early
as I walked past, i turned to see it peeking through the tree
everywhere you look, trees are changing colour
the sun was trying to come out!
approached this one from behind, enjoying their view of the trees for a change!
again, one I saw on the first visit (15th September post) without it's sign...
late colour in the bed at the end of the Grass Garden
in the "Secret" garden - Duke's Garden
sun is so desperately trying to come out!
back in the Grass Garden
the grasses were as colourful as the trees!
liked the Barn Owl with his golden backdrop
I know I shared this before, but the colours of the stone were incredible.
still looks like a vase Mum had once (hers was ceramic, but same shape)
walking through the Family Beds,
I came across a woman sitting on a bench eating her breakfast and stopped to talk (incredibly she comes from Croydon which is down the road - and where I was born)
she pointed out a visitor on the bench next to her...
she said he'd been there for some minutes!
robins are just so tame!
not sure if I had the caption for this one before, I think so...
but love it against the changing leaf colour
heading back round the pond for breakfast (9am now!)
I think this is one of my (many) favourites, make no apology for using it again
I sat at an outside table in front of this view for breakfast... probably won't be able to do that for much longer (eat outside I mean)
once I finished, I headed off in the direction of the big tree in the picture above
In amongst the leaf fall under the canopy, another huge batch of mushrooms.. or toadstools...
and the red had intensified in a week
my feet are wet by now from the grass (even with re-spraying my boots to supposedly waterproof them)
but, soggy feet or not, we'll carry on!
this is going to be one very very long post!
sun is finally coming out now, and shining through the trees
lake time!
this is the camera version of the selfie I shared on Facebook!
never tire of this view on days like this
as you can see, the sky is now a glorious blue!
climbed the steps..
great view, but you can't quite see the Wembley arch today
back at ground level, the horse chestnuts are littering the paths.
love the sun shining through the petals
suddenly it's 10am and the gates are open and people are enjoying the cafes and sunshine... needed my sunglasses by now!
hadn't noticed the cobweb until now!
great reflection in the puddle!
there is soon to be another Autumn at Kew event on - this is for that... can't wait to see more of them!
the sun really helps these reflections!
took a walkround the Palm House again,
love these red stems
and the faces, against the blue blue sky, and the shadow in the middle like a 3rd face!
now that the sun was out, I could get some more fountain shots...
it was quite breezy and the spray was blowing all over the place
finally, a map of the location of the sculptures.
think I've probably found them all now
must remember to take it again
when I go next time.
At least next time, I won't have to be up before 6 on a Saturday!!
Hope you made it round with me ..."we" walked nearly 17,000 steps today (including going to and from the station) that's nearly 12k according to my phone app! not had a chance to really put my feet up yet!!
