Kew - and an old friend

 Once more I had an 8 am slot for Kew... a breezy sunny day was forecst.

the green manure spread seems to be growing

on my way to the palm house I had walked past a big tree near the entrance - which seems to have

come a cropper in the recent heavy wind

poor tree !

I crossed the Broad Walk 

and past the Princess of Wales glasshouse 

into the Evolution Garden

roses...

where the flower are still gorgeous

I didn't notice the spider's web til I uploaded the photo!

I like to vary the heights and angles I shoot at 

and blurring the foreground colours....

I love the huge drifts of colours though 

the glorious eryngium are going to seed - love the changes

so are the agapanthas... 

fab!  

then i walked round to the rock garden

grasses in the sun in front of the alpine house

I walked along the path at the highest level of the rock garden

where you get good views across the entire garden

there are various waterfalls

gorgeous crimson scabious

never seen these before... label says it's Amica 

sun shining through 

insects everywhere 

holy berries -  on the way to the rose garden

there are still quite a lot of roses 

Temperate House.... not open yet though

so kept walking round...

the skies today were fab

you know I love a sky!  

the lake was bathed in sunshine 

new blogger is adding my pics out of order....

by the crossing (told you the photos had added out of order) I saw this - from a distance I thought it was another of the Canada geese,. but it's too white... 

the sun shimmering on the surface

in the shallows at the other side of the lake a small moorhen was standing on the stone, but swam off when I approached

although it wasn't ten, the "overflow"  to the temperate house was open

inside the Temperate House now

I looked for patterns in plants...

and peered round corners that I couldn't walk round 

I went for coffee and cake - sitting in the sun.

raspberry and white chocolate loaf (sponge)  today

it was my free coffee today (buy 8 get one free)

headed past the end of the palm house beds to the entrance 

where for once the humidity levels didn't steam u the lens

so I looked at patterns again 

even though you have to walk the same path only each time at the moment, there is always something different you notice

the sun through the big palm heaves is always a winner

then into the water lily house

lotus flower, growing in the inner section between the front door and the main room

the lotus pods in the pond were looking very sculputural today

the huge stems of whatever this is (must look for label)  remind me of spider legs giant Dr Who  monster-sized ones! 

one of the water lilies, fading, fallen onto the pond surface

phone pic of the pond (too lazy to change camera lens) 

outside again,

a pink rose

into the Princess of wales glasshouse now

Elephant Foot's Yam... you can see why!

it had loads of small yellow flowers that smelt gorgeous - even through my mask!

although you can't walk past them, some of the cacti were flowering 

as I walked through into the next area you are allowed in, I saw a small group of people.... 

yay!!!  a Chinese Water Dragon 

as you know I love these lizards and haven't seen one since Kew re-opened.

he (she) is so lovely!

I have really missed seeing them

he then closed his eyes and seemed to go to sleep.... 

couple on the phone shared to FB

how fabulous!!  

the grevillea was still looking amazing too

I decided to pop along to the alpine house

good view of the grass garden 

bowls of sempervivium in the doorway

and alliums

didn't see what these are

but very pretty

these are autumn squill

they have bigger ones in the evolution garden earlier in the year

they are tiny

I think my eyes weren't working properly today, seem to have had trouble focusing in macro! 

the left side of the alpine house is being re-developed./planted 

will be interesting to see what they put in 

(although it's been empty a while so may not be soon!) 

heading back along the path...

my friend that I see at the gate often, had said when I saw her mid-morning that the wisteria was having a second flush so as I passed I stopped for a look 

not many flowers, but very pretty

back along the Broad Walk now 

the large clumps of small alliums were humming with bees 

even when they are fading the verbena look fab

I had trouble with macro on these today too 

more impressive clouds over the Orangery

and a final sky shot on the bridge on the way back to the train 

Thanks for looking!