A wild and wet Kew - and Chihuly dismantling

The forecast for today was (correctly) awful... strong wind and heavy rain... But it takes a lot to keep me away from Kew
It started raining whilst I was on the train  and came and went on the 15 minute walk from the station

waiting in the rain at the gate, loads of fallen leaves from the wind over the last few days

 my starting shot,  the Summer Sun has gone from the side of the pond

 and the urns along the side have been emptied

at the top of the Broad Walk I could see that the Paintbrushes were still in place,



so I nipped into the Waterlily house quicky

 to my delight this one was still there.


I didn't linger, but will be back later

 Instead, I headed down the Broad Walk


in the now heavy heavy rain....

 some snatching of shots as I was trying to keep the camera relatively dry



the threat of 40-50mph winds had caused me to leave my Kew brolly at home for fear of it too succumbing to the wind, so I was just getting wet (did have a hood on my coat though)

bright red stems on this plant in the Broad Walk

 the trees everywhere were looking fabulous though


I turned off to the left halfway down the Broad Walk as I wanted to check which of the Chihuly glass had been taken down and which hadn't

 the core structure of the Icicle tower was there, minus it's long spikes

 the turquoise and purple reeds were still there,

 still surrounded by mud!

 they popped against the dull day though

the copper and red had gone from Cherry Walk though

 inside the Temperate House, the paths were stacked with boxes...

 I climbed the stairs to watch...

 obviously, great care was being taken

 they've obviously only just started in here, as most of the pieces were still in place

more boxes waiting!  Each one labelled and numbered

 walking through the different sections of the TH 

another big tub of daisies.   Love a daisy!

 the banana leaves are beautiful

(at least I think they're bananas)

 outside... stunning colours on the trees...


I wondered if the Nijimi Floats were still in place....  I wasn't going to walk up the middle of this photo, it was muddy  - you can just see some geese in the mud that used to be grass in the middle at the top

 the paths were littered will sopping wet fallen leaves

 I followed the paths round to the Japanese Garden

leaning down to take some raindrops

 yep, still there!

 despite the rain, they were looking good with the autumn colours

berries and fruits all over the place

 I walked back past the TH hiding behind the trees,

 leaves thick on the ground

 back at the TH, the Opal Towers outside still

 the gallery was closed so they could dismantle the exhibits inside easily (they may already have done so, for all I know) 

it's quite cramped in there as you've seen so they don't need people getting in their way


the path back to the Victoria Gate was also roped off so I to walk back

 across the grass

 but that was fine, as the colours were staggering

 and the sun came out!

 looking a bit more windswept than last week, but

 as Sapphire Star had been removed, we were allowed closer

 loads more colour on this too

time for refreshments I think









no sitting outside (all the chairs would have been wet, despite it not raining right now...

Hot chocolate for a change, and a Halloween menu - Halloween Bat Cake


just sponge cake with a buttercream centre and top and a chocolate bat... yum!

I spy blue sky!

 headed back past the pond

 and a final (I presume) look at these beauties

 remembered!

 just wonderful wasn't it!

 the bed surrounding Paintbrushes had been emptied, either for winter bedding prep or more likely to avoid damage when Paintbrushes are removed

 I quite like them without any planting around them

 from behind the tree canopy

 more thick (wet) leaf litter... and yet still lots on the trees

 always love to see the plants up at the upper level of the Palm House

 all round the grounds I had seen work starting on Christmas at Kew - lighting rigging going up.


no sooner does one thing finish than the next starts!

 loving the big tree behind the Paintbrushes

 I decided to go and hunt for dragons, and hopefully let my coat steam dry in the humid atmosphere!


(it had got very wet!)

 I saw his tail first so knew he was up there!

 this was a lucky shot, taken just by holding the camera under the flower and hoping for the best

 some orchids.


no sign of any water dragons anywhere else though today

 I came round for a better view

 before heading out

 but you know I can't not stop at these

 quick walk through the alpine house

gorgeous strong colour

 and delicate pale blue

 outside again

 the salvias still quite colourful

 into the Evolution garden

 the rudbeckia are so longlasting

 crossing the path at the end,  the Black Walnut tree had shed leaves - and it's walnuts!

 it's a stunning tree though

 they're big and were slippery when I accidentally trod on some

 round the back of the Palm House pond, the Gunnera have been cut back for winter, the leaves laid to protect the base

 walking back past the main entrance and down the path again,

 this time in the sunshine

I decided to head back to the Temperate House to see how the dismantling was going

 but got sidetracked by more trees

 wow, they've been busy - already the white beluga boat pieces are gone, and they've moved onto the yellow herons!

 I went upstairs again for a better view!

 these ones go in large tubes

 decided I'd better grab some last pictures of this!

 as I came down, I spoke to one of the Kew people who had been watching - I said how I'd love it if they "forgot" to take the blue persians-   he did say they had thought about keeping them (after all they'd been designed for the space)  but in the end had decided that as they wanted to use the space for other events, they may be in the way.

so, as he walked off, he said "at the moment, it seems they're going".... ooh,  I wonder!!

 I went back outside...

 and walked down the centre grass back towards the Palm House

 the floor was littered with some fruit/nuts or something  not sure

and some snoozing geese

 it was starting to look decidedly grey again...

 so I walked round the edge of the rose garden past the holly bushes

 some of which had been festooned with lights for Christmas already

 so of course I had to stop!

 looking back across the rose garden at the colour beyond

 and round the side of the Palm House pond

 as I walked down beside the Broad Walk though,
the heavens opened once more...

and I got soaked again



I sheltered at the exit under an awning for a few minutes whilst the rain bounced up and down on the path... then beat a retreat for the station and home!





It had been a fabulous if very wet, day, but well worth it and so pleased I got to see them taking some of the Chihuly down - bet it will have all gone by next week... or will it?!!

thanks for joining me again!