Saturday, February 15, 2020

Kew - orchids and Storm Dennis

This weekend the UK is being hit by Storm Dennis, but the forecast for early today at least wasn't too bad.  They weren't able to open last Sunday with the threat of Storm Ciara
Once again I had a 10.30 time slot for the orchids even though I saw them last week and I tried not to duplicate too many pictures... not sure how successful that was

 there was quite a crowd at the gate again but I started here.


fortunately the rain that I woke to at 6am had stopped and though it was windy, it wasn't too bad
 the spray from the fountain was being blown about - we'll have a closer look later; I didn't want to be late for the orchids!


 I wasn't first in the queue for the time slot today, but once again they let us in early




I went round the other way this time so I would go in via the big carnivorous tunnel
in doing so I spotted this area I hadn't seen last week


 the tv programme "The One Show" featured a segment on Friday's programme about the putting together of this year's display which was quite interesting if you can find it on the bbc i-player.  (about 20 minutes in, after all the kerfuffle about boy-band JLS re-forming) 

 I was lucky to be first through this way so it was completely empty - fabulous but it didn't last long






 there was space to read the board about the orangutans today

 close up of the volcano
 and the top, the white feathers and "stuff"  (technical term!) used to represent the steam escaping
the blue orchids that divide opinion.

I love them for the colour



 I caught sight through the door of some more parasols in the desert section
 before going back in again

 and went up to the arches on the top level



 no sun to illuminate through the roof this week


 but I got some water drops again


baby pineapple


 one of the pillars
 another pillar
 looking down at two pillars below



















 the tv programme explained that the tiger was created from leaves and "debris" from the POW glasshouse, great recycling! 





 can't help it, I love the display around the orangutans.










 I love the hairy rhino


on leaving, I noticed the grass garden has been cut back 

 I went into the alpine house - the scillia are starting to fade


 but the pretty little iris are gorgeous

 the wind coming through the door played havoc with the pasque flower, trying to get it still was hard!


(phone) 
out through the rock garden 
 and walked through the evolution garden - the face sculpture visible through the archway



 the daffodils have really emerged on the slope up to the temple
 I approached the face...


the crocus through the openings blurring in the background...

so I blurred the structure



there are signs of spring everywhere (hurrah!)



I took a 20 second video on my phone of the wind blowing the spray about but can't work out how to add it, but it was windy!



 the flowering cherry by the pond was starting to flower - I had noticed a few buds last week but amazingly one or two flowers were actually out

it seems very early to me even though this does flower in early spring

(phone) 



I headed to the cafe for refreshments

I had to settle for chocolate fudge cake this week, they didn't have a wide selection today and I didn't fancy the chai latte cake (saw it last week, looks very pretty but not sure about flavour...)


 back outside I saw this incredibly dark purple nearly black hellebore

 and lots of crocus

 inside the Temperate House now, there were spits and spots of rain starting




 had another look at their orchids in pots on the window ledges



(phone) 
 and the teeny narcissus













phone coped better with them - love this with the building outside through the window!




 silver daisy bush in the main "room"


 more narcisssus

 it's still going!

outside, this huge prunus was already smothered in flowers - the only one, none of the others are!




 mossy tree trunk
 gorse bush as I walked up Cedar Vista to the lake




 didn't linger, it's a bit exposed at that end of the lake
 stems of the acer "winter gold"  are stunning

the wind was blowing the water across the surface of the lake



 the cornelian cherry is beautiful again

 when I got to the bridge it was completely deserted, it was barely raining (hadn't yet put up my brolly) 




 there were one or two people about but most of them were in the glasshouses


 walked through the Temperate House to cut through to the other side of the gardens,


 before walking up to the (still closed for winter) Waterlily house


 I had a look through the window - being cleaned ready for the new season
bank of daffodils to the side


the grass was quite squelchy from all the rain of the last few days


 I didn't bother approaching the fountain again,  it was raining enough for the brolly now
and I decided to head for the exit
pausing only for some final raindrops on the euphorbia


Hopefully next week will be more pleasant -

I got home just as the rain really started and it's now blowing a hooley from the storm (more promised tomorrow!) 


4 comments:

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

While you were battling winds, crowds, and storms, I was watching the All-Stars Basketball Weekend. Basketball is MY thing. Sort of like tennis and flowers are your things. This is me playing catch-up.

Oh wow. I love the carnivorous tunnel. I've always been intrigued by these and cacti. Interesting read about the orangutans, too. Interesting way to convey a volcano, and I don't care if they are dyed, those blue orchids are lovely. One of my favorite shots was the baby pineapple, too.

Great to read how the tiger was recycled from leaves from the POW House. I can see it now, too. Cleverly done and great wrapping. The rhino may be my favorite, while I get the feeling the orangutans are yours.

The tiny iris in the Alpine House showed what I have to look forward to in a few weeks. Only mine will be full sized, not minis. And the overall view from your phone put it all in perspective.

I LOVE how you treated the face from two different points of view. Great shots, but hard to get if your camera is set on automatic.

As hungry as I am right now, that chocolate cake would only be an appetizer.

LOVED your take on the narcissus. Both views were great

Both the lake and pond looked COLD to me. BRRR! Sorry you got rained out, but I'm sure you were happier to be home than standing in a downpour at Kew. Some great shots this week.

Di said...

Hi Helen! Well, after seeing your chocolate cake as the only option at Kew for you on FB ( for which I would have fought you, all cake is good!) I had to come hunting. Oh my - I've literally spent well over three hours going back through your amazing posts and photos on this blog, which I didn't even know about before! The Dale Chihula work just blew me away - and like you I adore the white ethereal work with the water lilies the best. Those Dragon Lizards - so, so delightful. And to see wonderful Kew through the changing seasons andalso through your eyes is just wonderful. It's many years since I visited so many of the places in and around London you've been and beautifully captured through the lens, and it's been a wonderful trip for me so far. Am only back to June 2019 as yet. Thank you dear Helen - I needed a bit of a pick-up and now have a spring in my step!

Love

Di xx

Lillianb said...

I love all these picture and like you say signs of spring everywhere, Must go to Kew at some point,

Lilian B #7

Words and Pictures said...

Another fabulous photograph tour - having said what I said about the orchid displays in the previous post, I am very drawn the Carnivorous tunnel... must be quite the experience walking through there. I guess the bottom line is that I'm not much of a tropical type - the ones which captured my heart this time are the lovely white Prunus blossom (fabulous close-ups, thank you), the simple Pasque flower and that unbelievable tiny iris - wow!
Alison x