It feels like summer - Kew

There are just two more early starts available for me to enjoy at Kew before it's back to normal 10am opening  Today was one of them.   Boy, is it still dark at 5.30 when i woke up..

 and the sun was only just starting to venture above the horizon behind the flats as I left an hour later

 but by the time I walked across Kew Bridge another hour later, the sky was glorious though there was a breeze blowing

 8am...

 stunning.

I think September is my favourite month..

after the half marathon last week, it was blissfully quiet this  morning (apart from the Rugby world cup commentary on the radio in my ear!)

 the light was gorgeous this morning and it was already feeling warm

the weeping willow on the other side of the pond has disappeared, I noticed later.  I am sure it was there last week (must look back!)














this one from the phone (too lazy to change lens on the camera)

 "paintbrushes" shimmering


there were quite a few people also in early taking advantage

 always something new to see walking down the Broad Walk

Colchicum at the end of the bed under the shade of a tree

lots more to come

tiny flowers of the verbena

this is one of my favourite views (as I think I said last week too) in September.   the light makes a gorgeous silhouette of the tree and the alpine house
(phone)

 the doors were still shut and I forgot to go back later

 the grass garden was looking gorgeous

 Evolution garden...

lots of colour still

 trees starting to really turn colour now


the acers are always first

 the sky made a fabulous contrast today though

 shadows and dappled light

 reflections... can never resist a reflection..

 I approached these from a different angle today and through some different greenery they were looking better than ever

no dew today, just sparkling sun

 I was using a different setting today for some of the photos to enhance the back light... it really makes the colours pop

 I went through the trees under the treetop walkway (well round the side)  towards the lake

loving the dappled shade everywhere

 at the lakeside

 berries

 as I walked down Cedar Vista by the hydrangeas I noticed what looked like shafts of light.



as I got closer, it was the water from a sprinkler moving in the sunshine

but it looked quite magical!

 the cones on this tree were quite small, unlike the tree which towered many feet above me

 it was already starting to feel quite warm as I reached the Japanese Garden and the lovely Nijima Floats

 another huge tree

 it was just gone 9.40... I was onto my second rugby commenatary

 time to head for coffee and cake!

 i'd been joking at work yesterday saying it was about time they had a new one for me to try..

and here it was...  red velvet loaf.

extremely yummy!

 finishing just after 10 I could now head for the waterlily house...

 a late flush of roses enabled me to get the photo I'd wanted all summer!

 inside the door of the waterlily house are two beds either side of the path through to the inner doorway and the waterlilies..

 they have filled out so much seemingly overnight (7 nights) or maybe I just didn't look last week

back outside one of the rose beds

 walking round the back of the Palm House through the main Rose Garden

even this was looking good today

 I headed towards the Temperate House back past these...

and these... realising they have cut half the grass back round them so you can walk behind them... gives you a totally different perspective

 still roped off, obviously

(phone)

 into the Temperate House

  they'd been watering!

satsumas ripening nicely!

 as I walked through the Temperate House I noticed that the palms and other greenery on the left had been cut back a bit so there was a clearer view....

 of these

 it was lovely to have a more or less uninterrupted view of them from the path

 the yellow reeds were looking good too

 in the opposite bed the palms were still big

 approaching the staircase up

 partway up

 up!

 top of the waterfall

looks good from up top too, without so much growth round them

 walking round the walkway

 looking down at the vine things growing up the pillar by the stairs

 and from the ground

 loved the shadows on the "pear" Ikebana.

 at the end of one of the paths in the centre of the TH is a statue...  they obviously don't dust!

I could hear a robin singing somewhere and kept my eyes peeled.     I noticed it sitting in a shrub but couldn't get a photo, then it flew out....

 and let me just close enough before flying off again

 hibiscus still stunning

 and they've brought in some trumpet vines too

 something else needs dusting!

 I walked back through to the middle

 I went out through the main central door

 pausing at the bottom of the steps

 the arboretum is definitely showing it's autumn colours developing...

 (phone)

my jelly cubes are looking good today

 ah, now here they're dusting!

not sure I'd like that responsibility!

the cylinders look fab..













but got some better ones on my phone

 I love the inner bit

and a pic of the main room as a whole


I think most people were enjoying the sun outside, it was quite empty (apart from the room showing the film)

 outside my favourite autumn tree is turning rapidly!

 I walked back along the path to the Victoria gate entrance again...

 and at the pond it was feeding time...

 urn with Palm House behind...


close up of urn...

full urn....

 but we can't see much of the Palm House...

nope, think the first one is the best, what do you think!

 so let's play..

 it was acting like a magnifying glass for the sun though so it was hot!

 as I came round the corner a mum said to her little boy, look geese coming in...
I turned round just as they landed!

 another walk past the Palm House

 cutting across to the Princess of Wales glasshouse.

this is the tree I showed a bit of earlier, only all of it

 inside under the mangroves, there were a group of people looking

sure enough, a water dragon.

they wandered off, I stayed put for a moment

 from up a step..




but I went back to the bottom again.  it was twitching, about to move....

 in it went

 swam across

and clambered out the other side! 


yay!!  at last I was there to see it

I know this one is a bit blurry but there were no second chances 

 satisfied, I went off in search of any others...

 I found trumpet vines in the cool orchid room.

 loads of them!

 but no more dragons

he had however moved along the wall a bit

 although he was still hiding

 so I went round the other side of the water

 up the steps

 huge passion flower

 some smaller paler pink ones

 coming back through he'd moved again

 yep, my favourite

 Snow Gum eucalyptus tree



huge, lovely bark 

 grasses

The School of Horticulture building was taking part in "Open House" a London wide scheme to open buildings not normally open - it's this weekend.


there were a table full of student's dissertations you could look at

 and some paper products (outside in a gazebo someone was demonstrating papermaking)










note the colourful washi paper

 it was quite busy

 with lots of interesting exhibits

outside a "timeline" of the school

I walked along the edge of the rock garden

 at the top of the Broad Walk towards the Palm House

I walked down the grass behind the beds of the Broad Walk

 as you see things closer than you can from the front (obviously, doh!)

 cutting through to the Broad Walk now

 I was going to stop for an ice cream as it was now quite hot,



but decided I'd just head for home

next week for the last early entry, the weather is meant to be wet (boo!)  but of course I will go anyway!


thanks for looking