Happy New Year - Kew, 2020 style!

So it's Saturday and 2020, of course it's time to go to Kew again. 

As I set off for the bus, the sun hadn't long risen and there were some fabulous reflections in the glass building on the way

 the primulas are starting to flower a bit more now

(read the signs wrong,no blue flowers - just yellow white and orange)

the geese were enjoying them!

 hint of blue sky - sun was forecast!

 thrilled the fountain is still on

the dogwoods were looking good again

 I headed into the Princess of Wales glasshouse next to look for water dragons but didn't see any, I decided I'd go back later

 so a quick walk through the different zones, keeping  my eyes open

I noticed some berries and pink flowers above my head

 round the other side of the water, a little girl and her dad were looking at the fish

 can never resist the grevillea

before heading outside - it wasn't this dark, it's dramatic effect of sun through clouds!

 I headed to the Duke's garden and in the bed outside was this yellow beauty, but someone was in the way so I couldn't see the label

 packed with blossom

the other side of the wall, a winter honeysuckle was just coming out

and so was some witch hazel

 into the Alpine House - the scillia are starting to colour up now,

but I failed to see what this one is

 aloe (I think) in the rock garden
I love the spiky edges

 the snowdrop display continues

 walking throuigh the evolution garden, more spiky grasses

 mostly just seedheads

 as you can see!

 but lots of magnolia buds on the many magnolia shrubs all around

 and some hellebores are out

 walked back round the pond again,

virbunum

a bee on the mahonia but it flew away as I tried to get closer

 I went into the cafe for cake and hot chocolate - I imagine by next week they'll be back to their plain cups!


(raspberry snowball cake - a victoria sponge cake with white chocolate on the outside - I've had it several times, it's yummy)

 I headed to the Temperate House past the bed where there are lots of hellebores,  only a few out so far

 and of course stopped to check on the witch hazel which are the other side of the hellebore bed

 they aren't highly scented yet,  maybe that comes later - you usually notice it from a distance

 I walked up the path and into the Temperate House

 where there were some fabulous orchids on show

I went up to the platform round the central section - great sky outside

 as I walked round I saw a tall plant with fabulous white flowers on the top

 this was another favourite from last year

 you can see it really well as you come down the steps. 

I had taken my longest zoom today (haven't recently) so I could get in closer

 those white flowers from the ground

 I walked round the side where the silver daisy bush is

 different daisy type

 a King Protea starting to flower

 outside,the blue was trying to win!

 I walked through the fairground area on my way to the lake, pausing to snap the carousel

 the treetop walkway,  will go up next week when Christmas at Kew has been cleared and you'll be able to walk all the way round again

 wide wide angle for the lake

 quite a crowd for feeding time!

but I headed the other way from the lake



had to take these clouds!  great stripy effect

 looking back at the lake

 the leaves underfoot were very wet but pretty

 and the sky was turning blue properly at last

 I was surprised as I approached the Rhododendron Dell to see some early flowers already

 I walked right to the edge of the gardens, to where it meets the Thames towpath (although you can't get in or out of Kew here)

 I followed the path

 the sun was fantastic through the clouds

 like cotton wool

 and casting shadows on the grass

 I reached the children's playground

 and peered over the hedge

more fabulous dogwoods

syringia,  variety called heavenly blue... it was

especially glowing in the sun 

 more fabulous skies

 grasses on the Broad Walk

  I walked down the Broad Walk (I was off to look for dragons again, lol)

 there were seed heads on the right hand side, with hundreds of midges flying above them.

I love that they leave them , they are as gorgeous in this state as they are blue!

 I was attracted to this clump of pampas grass glowing in the sun

 which also had hundreds of midges above

 but OH how stunning...

and one from the phone

 the Hive, through a tree

 back into the POW glasshouse

 thrilled to find a water dragon sitting in the middle of the little stream

 as always it gathered quite a crowd

and I love how bright green it's belly looks in the water

 it was nearly time to head home (trains running half hourly today, engineering works, )

looked at the name of this today it's a European Larch

 across to one of the restaurant areas

 sun through a huge tree

 fruits on a tree - Japanese Bitter Orange

 I'd noticed someone peering down at a bed under a tree before I went a different way,but had to go and check it out..

pretty little orange funghi

 in amongst the leaf litter and soil

 I walked slowly across Kew Bridge, the sun shimmering on the low tide

 and the heron was looking for fish

(the other side of the river, a man was sitting fishing.  all of a sudden the heron flew across and stood a few yards up river from him)

 it was approaching 2.30, the sun low now

 back at home, the clouds were pretty and the sun was going to set nicely...

but I couldn't hang around for it, and there are too many buildings in the way!

view from my kitchen a bit later, as you can see, I don't get a good view of sunset at this time of year!


thanks for looking - the start of another year of trips to beautiful Kew!