A Kew trip, a little bit wet, a little bit grey...

I had another morning at Kew getting a little damp a couple of times but nothing much..

 it started raining lightly whilst I was waiting for 10 am

 I walked down the Broad Walk, stopping for raindrops on leaves on the path

 and in the beds

 a lot of the colour seemed to have gone from the trees

although there is plenty left really

 I love the bark of this tree outside the Princess of Wales glasshouse...

 where I headed first out of the drizzle

 I stopped by the mangroves first to see the water dragon


I didn't have my longest lens with me today and this one's a bit fuzzy...

 I walked round to the other side

 where I got a slightly better view

 before heading through to the cool orchid room

 from the top of the steps looking across to the other steps down (see the handrails)

 I stopped to let some people past then crouched down to look at this

 some orchids just outside the door into the warmest part of the POW

back outside again I found some colourful trees

 as I walked round the Duke's garden, I noticed some beautiful leaves with purple undersides...

 and lovely grasses in the grass garden

 grasses in front of the Alpine House and POW next to it

 I walked through the Evolution garden where most of the flowers have gone (even the Rudbeckia were now just sodden seedheads)

I was about to continue my way when I remembered the physalis and went back to see if they were still vibrant

 I walked round the path towards the back of the Palm House pond

 where the reflections were gorgeous!

 a huge mahonia on the other side of the path was flowering away

playtime!

 close up of the Kew wreath from the Remembrance day service







I stopped for early refreshments

the cafe is in the same area as the shop

they have their Christmas range on sale now - this was Raspberry Snowball cake (a Victoria jam sponge with white chocolate icing) 





and they have their Christmas cups out (I brought it home as I liked it so much, and will try and re-use it

it looks like a Christmas jumper to me!   (they have smaller ones in green too)

 then I headed down the path towards the gallery, as it had started raining again whilst I was inside eating/drinking

 camellia in flower - they always surprise me so early, but November is about right

 some of the Christmas at Kew lights (the first night was on Wednesday)

 the trees outside the gallery and between the gallery and the Temperate House WERE still very colourful though

 I took a slightly better picture of the teasels I liked so much last week  but didn't swap lenses to take any others today

 more leaves on the floor

 the Cathedral of Light from Christmas at Kew

 another bit of Christmas at Kew

 water drops... it had stopped raining again now though

 looking towards the Palm House

the lights on the trees in Cherry Walk
love the berries behind them

 I went into the Temperate House

 

I just love this Japanese Banana, it looks like a face, with big eyebrows

 outside the back of the Temperate House is the "fairground" bit of Christmas at Kew (not open during the day though)

 I walked towards the lake,







past the Treetop Walkway

 where there is a "waterfall"  for Christmas at Kew. - bet it looks fab lit up.

I decided to go up for a look



sadly, due to the installation hanging from it, you can't walk all the way round it so that was a wasted effort!!

 although I did get a closer look at the top of the lights

 so I headed quickly back down the steps to the lake

 were even though there was not a bit of sunshine, the reflections didn't disappoint

 from there I crossed the soggy grass












passing the huge beech tree covered in twinkly lights for Christmas at Kew

I decided to go back to the POW to see if the dragons were still mostly hiding

 at first I thought it had gone from the watery rock, but then noticed it scurrying back out from the plants and back in place..

I would love to know how it gets up there though

 on my way out my eye caught this pop of bright orange

 so pretty!

 I realised  I hadn't visited the alpine house

 outside once more,  I spotted some more bright leaves  ("Bloody Cranes-Bill" - geranium)

 general view of the rock garden on my way out

 the weeping beech was looking fabulous

 agapanthus seedheads on the Broad Walk

that's it for today, thanks for looking!