Kew

I nearly didn't book a slot for Kew this week, but in the end....   I decided to go for an 8am entry which means leaving home at 6.20,  bit early for a Saturday and a while since I have done it! 

 I arrived just after 8 and there were already quite a few people inside  - much busier than last week

 the Palm House beds that they're not tending till next year still have plants in which are now quite tall

 I headed down the Broad Walk first again

 there are some fabulous colour combinations along the way

 especially the red poppies in amongst the purple of the verbena

 I walked up round the wildflower meadow at the Hive

 the lights (lit by the movement of the bees in Kew's hives) are different - I am sure before the maintenance work they were solid colour.

I walked round to the Evolution garden

 I love this clematis with it's fluffy bits!

 and pretty flowers

 sea holly still looking fab

 there are loads of tall plant, above my head height, lots of them

 the bees were busy on the agapanthas but I kept missing them

 dew drops

 I went back to the Broad Walk again

walking along the back under the trees this time

you get a different view

and headed for the rose garden

 and to the lake

I've never seen so many big fish in the water before this year

 then headed along Cedar Vista paste the hydrangeas

holly tree












 the end door they are using to enter the Temperate House was closed today due to a wasp nest (not that I could see it anywhere)  so we were directed to a side door partway along

 trumpet vine with water drops

then I walked back to the Palm House, noticed one huge toadstool under a tree

 there was not queue at the Palm House so I went in

 Ebony

Ruffle Palm

 those spikes look a bit lethal!

 I went to the Princess of Wales glasshouse

 I got a bit carried away with the water drops

 back along the Broad Walk again

 I remembered to get out the toy this time

I've rotated some so the images are the right way up, 

 and left some upside down

 you know how I love big daisies!

and from the phone with the palm house behind

I took my refreshments and sat outside the Palm House where the sun had now come out

 there was a short queue at the waterlily house but I was able to get in easily

one way round the pond as the path is narrow, and I did put my mask on

(phone)

rather than keep changing lens  I used the phone as well as camera

 as I left I crossed the grass to the Broad Walk yet again - you can see the height of these by the people walking down the path the other side of the bed

 so many bees!

I didn't have time to get back to the station for the next train so sat on the grass for a few minutes under the shade of a  tree before heading home



another beautiful visit to my favourite place!