Hampton Court - for the chimneys!

I was undecided whether my legs would be up for another day out but I decided to make the most of it (rain is forecast for much of the rest of my week off) - and it was always going to be Hampton Court Palace today if I did anything.

I followed a crowd up the path to the entrance although they all went off to the left (not sure where, but the Real Tennis championships were taking place so possibly they were going there)









I got there just before they opened (of course!)

I was prepared for hot weather again (in fact it was quite pleasant and nowhere near as hot as yesterday at Kew)


here's me outside before they unlocked the big doors (right on time as the clock chimed 10)

 I just love all the chimneys at Hampton Court, they all have different patterns in the brickwork.

 I got a bit snap-happy in the five minutes or so waiting to go in...

 I decided I would walk round the gardens before it got to hot,

passing through Clock Court you can't fail to be impressed each time

 the huge yew trees are looking very healthy this year


(there was one with a big hole in it last year that I didn't notice today)

the fountain makes a great display in front of the back of the Palace (if you get my drift)

 globe-time!

 the flower beds that form a circle round the perimeter were looking good, in groups of 3s

the yew trees form like the spokes of a wheel, with grass and these beds round it.

 the next group of beds were white

 underplanting round a tree

 I was walking along the border (they call theirs Broad Walk too) thinking it wasn't looking very impressive - further along it was a bit neater  -

then found this that explained it a bit.

 I went through the gateway to the side of the border and the Privy Garden, formally laid out and looking very striking - not masses of colour,

 this was in a tub on the top of the wall

needed the wide angle to get the whole Palace in



the fountain in the middle (behind me in this shot) was off as there were workmen clearing it of weed - seems to be everywhere!

 whilst I still had the wide angle on I took a few more


it's definitely better when the fountain is on!

 one of the patterns in the grass

 there were several gardeners mowing the grass on the slopes both sides of the garden..

on my left the one with the remote controlled mower was having a few problems, it looked as if it kept jamming - bit of smoke!!

 at the top of the garden in front of the Palace are the citrus trees - there are loads of varieties

 ornate sundial

 I couldn't get the detail

 can you tell I like this garden?!

urn at the top


ok, let's walk along the gravel path a bit

 this is a beautiful sunken garden, you can only view it from the path at the top

 time for some chimneys

 the wall at the end of the garden is covered in a huge wisteria that is having a second flush of blooms

it was planted in 1840

there aren't masses of flowers on it, but they're a lovely colour.




next to the wisteria is the Great Vine - this year I was able to see the grapes  developing (they'd just harvested them last time I was here)

 the lower orangery garden with more citrus trees

couple more chimneys...

 turning left as I came out of the Privy Garden I walked down the rest of the border - looking much nicer and full of colour


mostly purples!

 enormous dahlias (in height and flower size!)

stunning colour

 I didn't go as far as the doorway to the Real Tennis courts  so not sure if I'd have been able to get in (you normally can, but as there was a championship on it may have been different)




so I turned back

 and went inside to find my way into the apartments

 the main courtyard again

 I think first I did William III apartments...

didn't linger and didn't take many photos inside


a lot of the rooms are kept dark with blinds at the windows to prevent the wall coverings and paintings fading, but this one is ok

there are so many little nooks and crannies to peak at through doorways...

 there was some Tudor cooking thing going on in the great kitchen - a group of school kids (not looking totally impressed to be honest)

 I was getting peckish although it was still early,  but didn't stop at the first cafe I found

 I went up into Henry VIII's apartments
there was a Q&A session going on in the Great Hall (mix of kids/tourists)  so I just took some pics of the stained glass windows

 I didn't stay for the Q&A session- actors dressed as 2 of Henry's wives, they do lots of educational stuff for visitors.

 as I came back out into Clock Court, it was now definitely time to go and find lunch!

 I walked past the end of the Rose Garden to the cafe at the end

 it was a bit hot for hot food, so had a sandwich.. not as nice as Kew's - although the cakes (didn't have one today) are by the same company that supply Kew's so that might have been a better plan.

 afterwards I had a close look round the rose garden

 the echiums were all leaning over at funny angles.

they were covered in little blue flowers (or the remains of) which the bees loved

 the two ladies in the back of this picture approached me to take a photo of them on their phone

I hate it when people do that in case it goes wrong...

 the beds round the roses were packed full of plants

 including loads of daisies again

 the gardeners were all off having their lunch, I'd have loved to ask about the collapsing echiums!

 I walked round the kitchen vegetable garden on my way to the loo (out of the way so no queues!)


stopped for bee action

 I tried for ages to capture this butterfly with her wings open (think it was a red admiral) but she was too quick for me

 walked back the same way through the rose garden (it's on the way out)

 I decided not to go back into the Palace but end with some more chimneys!

 which is when I noticed these gargoyles on the roof tops at each end...

 the ones on the other side weren't in direct sun so came out better.

 and I thought I'd better have another play with the globe lens

 and headed back to the station

thanks for looking.

might have a day at home tomorrow depending on the weather (again) - it was much cloudier today and that kept the temperature down - not what they said on the forecast - but as I mentioned, tomorrow and Friday are meant to be partly wet..