Kew

The first few visits back at the standard 10 o'clock always feel odd somehow...

Despite not  needing to wake at silly o'clock to get to Kew for 8, I woke at silly o'clock after a rubbish night's sleep...

so I was ready early and got an earlier train than I intended, and had a longish wait to get in...

 the massive tree close to the end of the Broad Walk has turned more autumnal this week

 I only walked halfway down the Broad Walk past the sculptural seed heads...


before turning off and heading for the Princess of Wales glasshouse

 a huge shrub/tree covered in purple berries

 another massive flower on a cactus,  they last such a short time but seem to produce lots of flowers in succession in the flowering season

this is by the side of the pond,

 the pillar near the mangroves - complete with water dragon.

 through the underpass found another one sitting on the grating/path

 I looked hard in the tree they tend to sit in (which has been cut back since last week)  but didn't see any others

 orchids

 big palms - lots of cutting back has gone on in here, ready for winter to allow more light through the windows I guess


these are still pretty tall though

 in the alpine house

 red hot poker (kniphofia)  outside the alpine house

 and some in a different colour in the rock garden alongside

 into the evolution garden now, these pretty little flowers - tricyrtis "dark beauty" 

 the pumpkins and squashes are still there

this variety is called goosebumps - very appropriate!

 still loads of colour

 these were pretty

 as I walked along the woodland path back to the Broad Walk I came across this, relocated from the holly hedge in the rose garden by the waterlily house, moved since last week

and this one from my phone shows it nestling into the flower bed - where it was before, people could go right up to it and have photos taken by it,  which was fine (you should see the state of the grass in front of where it used to be though!  That probably had something to do with it being moved)

 all the trees are turning fast now,  this one in front of the POW is beautiful

 into the waterlily house now


blossoms falling from the planting round the outsides of the pond lying in the Chihuly...

 had great trouble with misting lenses today (so did everyone else in there!)

but I got some

 before heading out (my head was still hurting so I needed to get into the fresh air again)

 large patch of autumn crocus under a tree

 kept looking around for colour in trees - it wasn't hard to find

 one of the swans on the lake

ducks making patterns in the water

 the "scum" also making pleasing patterns, the other side of the bridge - leads the eye towards the end of the lake

 I really didn't have the energy to climb up the Treetop walkway today, although I intended to, to look at the colours from above.

so I walked on down the path past, 

I always keep my eye open for this patch of funghi - it always comes back in the same place each year
this is the first time I've noticed it this year

 (it has been very wet lately which probably helps)

then it was into the Temperate House

 I was feeling quite bleurgh though so didn't linger other than to snap some close ups (water drops!)

 the cattails are blending in beautifully with the changing trees
and the dull cloudy day was making the colours zing

 I headed for the cafe past my favourite autumn tree

(ok, one of them) 

developing nicely

 although whilst the Chihuly is still on and the area roped off, not able to get my normal spectacular closeups..

however, it makes a great backdrop




I went inside the cafe and got some water so I could take some headache tablets, and sat for a few minutes.

then i decided I would have a hot drink (shock horror no cake today)

I brought it to a bench outside the Palm House

I took this one on my phone.  I love a moody sky as you know!

 a squawking gull next to me on one of the statues

then I noticed the Kew lady I've often talked to in her guise as Chihuly guide so went and had a lovely chat with her (haven't seen her for a few weeks - turns out she's been on different Chihuly shifts and I've missed her) 
We were discussing the weather today - it felt very "heavy" and was very still, not a breeze at all (not humid though) - she mentioned that she was working the other day when we had torrential rain all day - and loved it

after that I set off back past the big trees at the top of the Broad Walk


and went back into the POW glasshouse

 he was still on the top of the pillar, although had moved round to the side where I could get better pictures

 through to where I'd seen the other one on the grating, I could "only" find this little one in the tree - towards the bottom and again, they'd cut back some of the growth so it was easier to photograph

how very kind of them!

 I am sure it wasn't there a couple of hours earlier, I did look! 

 colour in the border at the back of the grass garden

 just before I went into the Duke's Garden

i went "wow" as I walked through the gateway

such tall flowers.

 Strawberry tree

 I couldn't resist walking back through again,

still up the pillar (although it was only about 20 minutes if that since my second sighting)

 and the little one too

 this is the beautiful tree outside the POW again

 autumn crocus by the Palm House pond

 another moody sky this time from the other side of the pond


If it weren't for Summer Sun, it's nearly black and white...

love it

 time to head for the gallery (I msised it last week)

so lots more autumn tree action

 it was busy inside (people are making the most of the last few weeks)

 these are still some of my favourites in here..

love how the patterns make the cylinders look bendy - there are quite straight-sided

 I was feeling quite a lot better now so

 headed across the grass to the Temperate House

 which was also looking moody

 wider angle

 from the other side so it isn't sillhouetted so much

 up above... I caused a bit of a traffic jam on the stairs stopping to take this through the wrought iron

 through the window from the viewing balcony

 still in wider angle to show the scale (Elizabeth I had no idea you hadn't realised how big the Temperate House Persians (to give them their proper name) are... yes, it is huge! (my book tells me 996 cm "tall"  )

still from the balcony

 back down now, in one of the interconnection octagons.


a few coleus still on display

 I went out of the far end, past these again

 before walking down Pagoda Walk (it's behind me!!)

to see how much the colour has changed since last week...

 turned round - told you it was behind me!

  I really walked in circles a lot today!

 still quite a lot of roses blooming too

 with a blurred Palm House in the background

 cut through the Palm House

 when I stopped before to talk, the girl said they will soon be emptying the Palm House beds ready for the winter planting....


we agreed it was a shame when it still looked so good, but they have to get the beds prepared

these pretty little daisy like things are growing over the side of the wall (in the wall) of the pond

 I headed down the Broad Walk for the exit now

 the furthest end is still so colourful

 dahlias in the big bed by the exit

after all it ended up being a lovely visit - mild, moody (skies)  and beautiful!


thanks for looking.