Easter Saturday in the sun... guess where!

I and the crowds, headed to Kew today for another visit to the Chihuly installation and  ... quite a lot of tulips!
There was a lovely big red sun at 6am when I woke up ...

 once I fought my way through the crowds at the entrance, I headed for my starting point...












before heading to the Chihuly installation I missed last week, I stopped to crouch down and capture the tulips in the round bed by the pond

 I crossed the grass towards the blossom ahead..

 as I came down the steps into the Mediterranean garden, I gasped - not sure why I wasn't expecting purple! 

 they are grouped around both sides of the steps (I came back later and got a wider angle shot)


this one is called Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins (2019)

the purple reeds are subtly different colours and seem to change colour with the angle you see them from and the light. 

 I am a big fan of purple!

the one in the middle reminds me of a penguin! ( I know, it's not penguin coloured)

from there I took the short walk to the tulips and the Cattails.  I knew they'd look gorgeous in the sunshine!

 whilst the blossom is going over the tulips are still gorgeous

 the sun was so bright on my camera screen I couldn't tell how good the photos were coming out...

 into the Temperate House..

love this little lily 

 not sure why this one came out so dark, as it was very sunny in there... but you know, water drops!

as I said last week, I knew this would be even more stunning with the sun on it.

might have got carried away again! 

 I hadn't noticed this clear one as part of the Fiori Verdi last week

 and the Beluga Boat looks better in the sun too

this one I couldn't see a sign for last time is simply Red Reeds.

 I walked past the Silver Bush Daisy to the steps up..

it's fading now, but has lasted for so long!

just stunning, isn't it!

 I walked around the top

 the red reeds were glowing

 trumpet vine

did another zoom selfie! 

 yep, working ok today

 can frame it through this too.  it looks redder in the photo than in real life, it's coppery.

 walked round the ground floor level again

 I love it from right underneath

 I remembered to look for the title of this one as promised..

Chartreuse Hornet Polyvitro Chandalier   2001

 walking round the outside, looking in a window to see the centrepiece

 the sun was glinting off the opal and amber towers

 through the doorway, gives you an idea how big it is

 I knew the lime crystal tower would look great in the sun

with the Pagoda in the background

 looks good with the trees around








from here it's a hop and a skip to the gallery

 not sure what it says about me that I think this looks like a glass of gin and tonic with the ice on the outside....

 this was out in the corridor

 I took it from various angles

 and you get to see something different each view

 back through the main gallery so I could find....

 ... these

as promised, close up time

they are just gorgeous

 Sapphire Star, at the Victoria Gate entrance

 closeups

 tulips at the entrance..

Summer Sun


I walked round the pond

 couldn't resist stopping at Paintbrushes again

 I promised you lots of tulips..

 huge lichen-covered branch,  Palm House in the background

 more tulips, in the beds at the steps up to the waterlily house

love the light shining through

 there was no problem with my lens misting up today as it was so hot outside

might have got carried away with this one again...

 as you can see there was a large crowd round the pond

 it's lovely

 you can the red reeds outside through the window

 the daffodils in the Palm House bed

 more tulips - translucent in the sun

 the tulips in the urns along the pond are fading and opening out, I love how blousy they look in their state of nearly-decay....

so it was play time!

 I know I should invert the photo but I kind of like them upside down

 can you tell I love these tulips!

close up on summer sun

 the round bed at the other end of the palm house looks like one petal has just been peeled down to see inside

 they're the same planting as the one the other end



I stopped and had an early lunch before everywhere got too busy  and then.....

 found a Chinese Water Dragon, hiding under the mangroves in the POW glasshouse

 there was no sign of any others anywhere though

 I didn't spend too long in the tropical sections of the glasshouse, as it was far too hot!

 this red passionflower was winding round the metal handrail along the steps up to the next level

 and was really hard to photograph - had to hang over the rail

 nope, can't resist it!

 tulips, along the Broad Walk.  no raindrops this week

  as I walked through some trees, I saw a patch of bluebells, so decided to head round the lake and then to the woodland to see if the bluebells there were out

large family of fluffy goslings!

 at the top of the lake I could see a red climbing frame or something, but didn't go and investigate - it's something to do with the children's Easter activities.

 it was cooler and more peaceful by the lake, although as everywhere else there were lots of people picnicking

 it was as I knew it would be, beautiful under the trees and I took one of my earphones out to listen to the birds (had the football commentary on on the radio)

 and yes, the bluebells are coming out

 there were some other blue flowers (wildflowers, although I heard someone describing them as weeds) - really gorgeous, not sure what they are though

dappled sunlight playing across the bluebells

 another look at the Japanese garden

the pagoda behind trees

 against a beautiful blue sky

 I couldn't resist walking through the Temperate House again though

 and stood in the doorway in a wonderful breeze looking at Opal and Amber towers

 sat on the steps for a few minutes

 walked round here again too, did the old lying on the ground level shots..

 as promised, another visit to the purple ones

got the globe out again for the trees near the Palm House

and this one was framing the Palm House perfectly. 

cut through the Palm House on my way to the exit



thanks for looking
at least you didn't get as hot as I did, walking round today!