I was always going to Kew today to take a final look at the Artful Autumn willow display, which ends this weekend.
The morning was chilly but not enough for frost; though it is meant to get colder over the next few days
they've finished planting the beds in front of the Palm House
The slightly cloudy sky was allowing enough sun through to show there would be some good reflections today...
I decided to head for the lake first, as I forgot last week
on the way I had a problem with my camera, no idea what happened, I thought I'd knocked a setting but everything was over exposing. But I changed lenses and back again and it was all fine...
as you were then, panic over (really must read the instruction manual properly one day!)
but I was right about the reflections..
I got almost up to the bridge, to find that access to it from this side was closed for repair to the path, so I had to head back and go round the other way!
but now that I had fixed the issue with my camera I could take this shot again properly!
it was worth the walk back the other way though
and I was right for sure about the reflections
from halfway across the bridge
got a bit carried away!
and at the top of the slope, my main reason for heading this way. The Treelings, doing their tai chi exercises.
last couple of reflections...
I just love them!
another little pond as I walked down Cedar Vista to see the benches and funghi hangings
this one is still my favourite though
some great sunlight shining through the leaves
shadows of the branches behind the leaf
of the other willow shapes, this is my favourite, this time I took it with the artful autumn banner fluttering in the light breeze
headed in to see the Life in Death exhibit again (didn't take as many pictures today as obviously it's not going to change - although a few leaves and petals have dropped off)
but I liked the shadows on the floor from the hanging strands
from the gallery, I headed down to the Victoria Plaza cafe for
breakfast elevenses
past the Smoke Tree, looking even more stunning...
shooting upwards through the branches.
after coffee and an apricot danish, walked round the pond
I love using big tree trunks as frames for my pictures
grasses along the Broad Walk
veered off to visit the Hive.. Love this angle
it was quite busy, but I put the wide angle on for some exaggerated effects
liked the effect of the sun through the honeycomb structure
When they installed the Hive, they said it would be there till November 2017, but I haven't seen anything about it coming down next month, so I hope it's staying after all.
walking down the path round the Hive, I was struck how the wide angle and the view point gives such different shapes to the structure
I like the sky in this one!
and the sun through the next couple
views from the path as I walked down from the Hive
tree full of fruit (pyrus ussuriensis - a flowering pear)
quick walk through the POW glasshouse
and out to the Family beds - poppies still blooming
and the Grass Garden
the salvias along the wall of the rock garden still looking good
Kew Palace
gorgeous grasses with the sun shining through them
normally I've put my camera away when I come out of Kew, but the park across the road from the entrance caught my eye, so finishing with this one today!
The chill of the early morning had long gone and it ended up a really lovely day, 4 hours (more or less) of walking and picture taking (over 350 today) and almost 9k again - bit less than usual,I must have walked a more economic route, but this excludes to and from the station today)
