Kew - orchids, wind and rain

It was pouring with rain when I left and I had to lug the big Kew brolly..  needless to say by the time I got there it had stopped (and later when it rained for a few minutes was too windy to use the brolly)  hey ho. it's a handy walking stick/lever to heave myself up from kneeling for low shots...

 the Palm House beds, for  my first stop were beautifully bright with colour on a still dull morning.

 everywhere was very wet - not as wet as some parts of the country obviously but extremely muddy!

straight into the Princess of Wales glasshouse for my orchid slot...

 stopping to take some pics in the desert cacti section for Elizabeth

 before heading into the main area

 still love the blues on these dyed flowers, quite a mix of shades now as some fade.

 there was someone up a ladder tending to a jade vine

 the volcano in the pond


can't believe next weekend is the final week already!

up to the top level where the arches are.

you can see the airplant "wall" in the background

 I checked out the axolotls again and this time noticed they have a sign of their own in the water to tell you what they are, funny how I've never noticed before - although without seeing them this big, I guess I thought the label was for a plant

 Musa (see below)

 corpse flower (see below)

 last week I didn't photograph the photo of the corpse flower, only the Kew interpretation of it (above)

so no, Elizabeth, it didn't smell as it isn't the real thing - they don't have a living one in captivity.

 been struggling to get focused close ups of these all month, think I just about managed today

 smiley face!  water drops....

closer look at the jade vine down on the ground floor

 will be sad to see the orangutans go.. hopefully they may be the last part of the exhibit to go

 my fave grevillea are fading

couldn't see  a name for this

 bed full of daffodils outside the POW glasshouse

 alpine house - quick walk through


loved this last year, good to see it flowering again

 these were blowing about (one of the doors was open, so the wind was blowing through

 making it hard to photograph!!

fun though

 there's one of these ( a huge one) inside the POW too.

it started to rain again as I walked under the rose pergola through the Evolution garden,
and it was windy too

 it was difficult holding the umbrella and keeping my camera bag from falling off my shoulder, and focusing on the euphorbia!

 as I walked towards the pond, it became too gusty for the umbrella and I put it down again

 the cherry blossom is gorgeous this week,  though once again swaying about in the wind

so I failed with any close ups

 I walked through the cafe - all the inside tables were full, and it wasn't outdoor weather so I went straight out


where the rain was stopping and the sky turning blue!

phone... exaggerated the greyness of the clouds,

 camera (once I'd changed lenses again)

the hellebore bed was glistening in the sun so I squelched across the grass for a closer look...

 this is a huge shrub, towering above me


loved how the sun caught the little yellow flowers and made it shine!

 what a difference in weather in about 10 minutes!

 the flowers on what I know now must be an ivy

 I turned round as I was walking along the path to the temperate house, and stopped for a shadow selfie!



hood down....

hood up!

then continued into the temperate house

there is a gorgeous white rhododendron inside

which had obviously just been watered

 orchids in the sunlight through the window

 and some little narcissus

 more orchids

 fern uncurling by the steps up to the walkway

 I love these fan palms

today they had the sun shining on them


I was glad I'd gone up to the platform, because out of the window I could see puddles in the path leading up to the front of the temperate house

(I had got great reflections at Christmas)

 so I didn't hang about, just long enough....

 for some of my favourites,

before heading outside in case the sun vanished

 and hurried up the path to turn and come back down again...

 the photos from the phone are much better though - wrong lens on the camera, I think

 so it was definitely worth it



I walked round the outside of the temperate house

as I could see another flowering cherry tree was - flowering!

another huge puddle, completing filling the path, so it was a choice of paddling, or squelching... I chose squelching (across the grass)  as my boots are particularly water proof.

I headed for the lake past the treetop walkway

but paused to turn for a view of the temperate house

 I decided against climbing the steps but contented myself with a view from ground level

 I love how it stood out against the grey cloudy sky and the bare trees

 the lake was bathed in sunshine

 dogwood on the little island

I had to change lens again

but took some on the phone too to send to FB

the sky was blue now

 so I had a play

 as I walked along the path I saw a flash of blue to my left.


a jay, in the tree,   they don't like posing for photos so it's a bit blurry.

 I needed to head for the magnolias....
which means more squelching, as they are in a VERY muddy area....


wellies would have been better, but luckily I stayed upright

 beautiful against the sky!

 it wasn't possible (given the mud underfoot) to get decent close ups as I had to keep an eye on where I was squishing

 but the treetops were spectacular anyway

As I headed back to the Palm House, I noticed through the window of the waterlily house that they are starting to replant it ready for it's new season, which is good.

 and I found the chinese water dragon in the same place as last week - in fact, it ran out from the undergrowth as I was just walking away having NOT seen him, so stopped!

 gorgeous!

 headed outside, where I was buffeted by the wind again

 but I love the colours of the bedding

 and the red, (or pink) in the round bed at the end of the pathway

 there was a great shot of the palm house in the sun

 and the POW behind the trees...

 the patch of pink hellebores at the top of the Broad Walk are fading.... but still pretty

 and off to the left, a large drift of daffodils, with purple at the base....


I walked across to check them out

 if only the ground had been dry, I could have laid down to get a decent bird's eye view!


no way was I doing that though!

 I went back to continue down the Broad Walk

 the euphorbia drifts were looking good (but blowing about!)

at the end of the Broad Walk. I went into the Orangery restaurant - where they have started a refurbishment and it is down to half size, and was full,  so I didn't stop there for refreshments either!

as I headed to the exit, I passed another smaller magnolia that was flowering



Thanks for looking - next week* will be the final trip to the Orchids for this year (although some will remain whilst they dismantle the display)  - so we'll have one last trip!

*Edit.  just seen on the Kew website that the event has been extended another week, to 15 March, so have booked a slot for the new last Saturday on 14th!