It seems only a few weeks ago that the Dale Chihuly exhibition opened at Kew... but it's been six months! As you know I've been just about every weekend - today was my final chance (it closes tomorrow) to go...
I arrived 20 minutes before opening.. fairly soon quite a crowd gathered behind me..
I chatted to a lovely family from Manchester who'd come - the last time they'd been was when Chihuly had his previous show there in 2005 ish (before their daughter was born)
I bumped into them again later, they were enjoying their day.
as you can see, it was another grey day today!
we did see a fleeting glimpse of the sun through some clouds for about 5 minutes but that was it...
it didn't rain till about mid-day though
the colours on this gorgeous tree have really intensified in the last week
I had taken my longest zoom today so I could get in close
I set off towards the other outside glassworks
turning back for that tree again, from the other side
and zooming out to get Sapphire Star in
despite the grey day, the colours still popped
I had almost left the globe at home today
(meant to take some of the Chihuly but forgot!)
they've still got the access to these roped off, the ground in front is an absolute quagmire
but the gloom really made the purple zing
you can see the barrier at the bottom of the steps down
but I've taken this one over the barrier at the other side so you can't see it (or the mud!)
I can't believe they won't be here next week
hardly anyone in the Temperate House yet
went up to the platform first
loving how they look closer in
you can see how thick the metal supports are for the glasswork.
and then some from the ground level
standing underneath pointing upwards
in the doorway (I came back later to get some more, for now I went a different way)
with the waterfall behind
I made sure to catch this today, as the one I got last week was out of focus (the focus caught something in the foreground)
It looks better this week anyway!
and along the path
back outside...
I diverted round to the front first,
before doubling back and
heading for the Pagoda and the
Japanese Garden
the gorgeous trees make such a beautiful backdrop for the Nijima Floats
fruit on a bush, but they could almost be glass too
no sun but they still seemed to glow today
this is the tree that was the backdrop, up close
I took loads, with the lens at it's longest
before taking lots more of the trees
I took a slightly different route to the lake
before cutting back onto the normal route down Cedar Vista
the swan seemed fast asleep!
it was quiet and peaceful
some of the funghi from last week
the colours against the grey of the water stood out
as I walked back I decided to check out the colours from the top of the Treetop Walkway for a change
peering over the edge
it was pretty windy up there!
angel's trumpet in the Temperate House
as promised, back for a zoom...
the opal towers outside
can't miss this. I still love this one
then it was across the grass to the gallery
which was surprisingly empty
back outside, a small acer is brilliantly red
luckily today it was dry enough to get some good scuffling action going
before walking down the path back to the cafe
Not taken this picture for a few years!
back at the entrance, the huge tree (that I forget what it is) is turning red
and I stopped to take some more of this one too
just gorgeous, isn't it!
I sat outside despite the wind.
this jackdaw came and sat on a post next to me
and had both a sausage roll AND cake! (toffee apple flavour, nice, but pretty sweet..)
it did start to spit with rain whilst I was there and things kept blowing off my tray!
once I picked everything up and put it in the recycling bins I
headed for Summer Sun..
(phone)
I risked a selfie..
then it was time to say farewell to my favourites..
but the waterlilies were gorgeous today
(phone)
bye bye Ethereal White Persian Pond, I will really miss you
I think the only one I didn't go to today, was the Icicle Tower
ah well, it was never my favourite!
time to go and look for water dragons...
first I found some flowering lithops (living stones)
looked hard, didn't see one...
until I got to the far side of the pond near the underground aquariam
there's one!
from the front, by the pond
bottle brush
quick walk through the alpine house
(it was starting to rain now!)
walked round the side of the rock garden
nerine
cardoon, going to seed
gorgeous
beautiful weeping acer
hung a left into the evolution garden
Physalis -(known as cape gooseberry among other things) this has come out since last week, unless I just missed it
had to get my umbrella out here !
heading down the Broad Walk
found it harder than ever to leave photos out this week so I fear (don't really ) this is a longer post than ever!
before I left for the train home I sat under a tree out of the rain and put my lenses away. (trains from Kew to Clapham Junction where I change, were only half hourly today so I had time to kill....
turned out I should have left sooner as I got to the station as a (late) train was leaving... bother!)
still, got home ok, slightly damp and with a broken umbrella that didn't like the gusts of wind that turned it inside out and snapped two spokes.... hey ho.
Not sure if ALL the Chihuly will have been dismantled by next Saturday, they may (hopefully?!) still be doing it... but I am sure I'll have fun anyway!
