Saturday, August 31, 2019

Kew - another perfect day

The last day of August and the mornings are already darker and it was certainly fresh first thing as I headed for the bus (train strike meant bus going for the timings but train home)
 and the sun hadn't fully risen
but after a wait outside I was in...


 as i walked past Summer Sun, glinting in the sun, I noticed webs on some of the fronds.



 it was truly beautiful first thing
so was the sky above the Palm House

 the Broad Walk was still in shade as I walked down
I went round to the Hive.




The Hive itself was looking gorgoeus
this one from my phone is the best!

taken just as you go through the entrance on the upper level (at the top of the meadow)

 they've cut back most of the wildflower meadow now, just leaving a narrow strip at the edge of the paths
 then I walked round past the POW and the alpine house

 I walked round to the student veg plots but the gate wasn't open,  the vines were luminous with the sun behind.


I went back later,  to see if Kyla's tag (abandoned art) was still there, but it had gone this week. 
 walking through the Evolution Garden I found a bed of poppies - late in the season but they were in a part of the garden that was last to be planted.


the yellow ones were looking beautiful
 but you can't beat a big, blowsy  Opium Poppy!

buds just emerging..

 the remnants of little yellow daisy types that I saw last week


 rudbeckia, starting to go over just slowly





as you all liked the pink and white sedum I took some more





 views across the garden

 walked round the other side of the Palm House pond




 Sapphire Star looking stunning
 early morning shadows
 more favourites!

(Neodymium Reeds and Turquoise Marlins - although there's none of the latter in this shot!)


loved the sparkle of sun on dew drops on this spike!


 the grass in the beds that don't have the Cattails and Copper Birch Reeds in (also stunning this morning)  has been cut back, but they've left it long here
 you can see the Opal and Amber Towers outside the front of the Temperate House..

 but I was heading the other way, to the Treetop Walkway

popped up again!


 the lake, still partly scummy/weedy



 
 after crossing the bridge I went up the other side of the path to the end of the lake

 where the Nijima Floats were sparkling - it was getting warmer now


 as I crossed the grass I came across a large branch that had fallen from a pine tree - it looks quite recently fallen, so presumably in the strong wind of a couple of weeks ago -


love the patterns though.

they leave most fallen trees to create wildlife habitats.

 on the way back to the Temperate House
huge bunches of berries on one of  the Rowans



more clouds!




 as it wasn't open yet I went on.... cutting across near Lime Crystal Tower



 oh -oh... the leaves on the acers are starting to change colour... You know that means autumn is on the way...




looking gorgeous though!

 this is the huge tree in front of the gallery

only a few of it's leaves are changing, but there were lots that have already fallen
 down the path back towards the entrance

there was a large crowd waiting to come in, it was almost 10

that two hours flew by!







time for coffee and cake!


(chocolate ombre cake today, my favourite)


outside in the full sunshine today

 after a short stop for refuelling I went past the Palm House again.
someone needs to polish off the raindrops from the Aeonium!



 there was no-one in my way to inspect the bronze in the holly hedge

 still lots of roses in the beds in front of the waterlily house

 grasses in the triangular bed in front of the Red Reeds, looking better today
 the Ethereal White Persian Pond has to be my favourite though...
gourds hanging round the edge








I get so carried away in here!


the phone pic I shared on FB at the time.

stunning..



 time to hunt for dragons,

walking through the desert section,  the centre of this agave was full of fallen flowers
 from this, above it
 two huge flowers on a cactus under a window, had to stretch to reach
it's going to be a dragon day!


 I know my cousin will appreciate these



 first time round, I couldn't find any other water dragons



but this one had moved slightly!

 however, as there were no more evident I
 left, and walked through the alpine house



pretty little (tiny little!) scillia




 and not so tiny - they're not crocus but can't remember what they are !


 still like these little red flowers tumbling down the rocks








passing the Palm House with the morning glory - yes, Elizabeth it has filled out!!


 now we're in the Temperate House

the bee kept flying in and out of this flower.

 got it!


the satsuma's are ripening


 the hibiscus are still giant-sized

 close up of Temperate House Persians

 Hebron Vessels from the walk round the top
 Beluga Boat

 ok so this comes a close second (joint top really) with the white persians in the waterlily house!


 Opal and Gold Chandalier

 outside, more evidence of trees starting to turn



 towards the gallery (I did go in, but no pics today)


sat in the rose garden for a few minutes







before walking through the Palm House

 bananas!


 interesting leaves in the sun
 I decided to head back to the Princess of Wales conservatory again

past Paintbrushes...  against the sun!



 walked along the now fully sunny Broad Walk

 noticed some different cacti flowering (the yellow is from something different it's not a two-flower type cactus!)



 he was still there!

 went through to the area by the orchid room


one little one sunning on a rock


from different angles


a little boy looking at him, said there's another one


it was just behind the other one, lying flat out on the soil (I hope it wasn't dead! I couldn't see any breathing but they do lie very still for ages, so fingers crossed)


there was also another one, an adult, on the other side of the path,
with his back to us, and very well hidden.

all the greenery was very confusing for the focus on my camera so I couldn't get many decent close ups













 so i took a few more of the little one and left

 walking back down the rest of the Broad Walk











before going to get a drink of water and heading home










thanks for looking !