Saturday, October 28, 2017

Another walk at Kew

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) 

3 comments:

Julie Lee said...

Wonderful colours, Helen! This is such an amazing season for photographing Nature in all its splendour. I particularly love the shots you got of trees and water. I like the willow woven sculptures too and those beautiful leaves. I've been out today in our local park and the colours have been stunning.xx

craftimamma said...

What stunning colours in today's photos Helen. The Reflections look wonderful and I love the fluffy grasses but my favourite shot is that gorgeous red leaf with the shadow of the branches behind it. It's amazing!

Hugs
Lesley Xx

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Somehow I don't remember the center oval of the Palm House plantings. I see something new each time you visit.

The reflections were incredible. Glad you fixed your camera, because it could have been a disaster if something had happened to it or the settings. I loved the view from the bridge. I thought the views were breathtaking.

I was super impressed with the photos from the Hive, because once again, it gives me an even better perspective of this incredible structure.

Thanks for taking us with you today. Even the willow men looked fun again.The Alpine House was fabulous with the grasses in the foreground.

So nice to see the Kew Palace, too. Love the globe statue in front of it. Again, I really enjoyed following you around today.