Kew - a final visit at 8am for a while

 so today was the last time I could get an 8am slot to visit as after this week until next May.  It was really cold first thing and I definitely should have worn gloves. However....

the sun had barely risen when I stood on (a very cold) Clapham Junction platform for my connecting train.

nice clouds though, you know how I love a cloud pic!

the gates opened and in we went... the blue sky masking just how cold it still felt.

I had to take a shadow selfie for Julia as I walked past the Palm House

a couple of weeks ago, a huge branch got blown from this tree which is such a shame, 

shadows of the rope round the edge of the path

the sun was glinting on the acer at the  end of the rock garden

I will miss the beautiful early morning light 

stunning on the ferns

teasels against the sky

my first new stop, the evolution garden

I couldn't wait to get round to this bed

even though it was cold there was of sign of dew, or frost, and no water drops today!

just love the rudbeckia with the lilac (asters?) behind them

solidago

the wind was whipping the stems of this all over the place, 

camera couldn't decide whether to focus on purple or yellow!

the fading eryngium (sea holly) are still going strong

checking if the physalis is skeletonising (is that a word?!!)  yet but no signs so far

the hydrangea I showed you last week has such pretty red stems and edges to the leaves

still some roses climbing the pergola

the pumpkins are still nestling in the veg beds - expect they'll cut them soon

fennel catching the sun

looking back down the path 

through the grass garden 

this is huge,  it's beautiful pink colour fab against the sky

it's called lagerstroemia apparently

part of of the Princess of Wales glasshouse

you know it's autumn when this starts to turn colour 

rosehips

didn't notice the squirrel scampering across the ground till I downloaded the photo

the cherry trees in front of the Temperate House 

walking round the side of the Temperate House with the light through the top windows

loads of berries

I walked up to the Japanese garden to see i the maples there were turning...

a little bit, but not very 

as I crossed the grass towards the lake (via cedar vista)

I found a patch of huge funghi

smoke tree 

I love the lake, so peaceful and silent 

although there were quite a lot of people taking advantage of the last early entry

it was worthy of changing back to the other lens

I walked round the side of the lake that would give me the best pictures

love the shadows of the metal "fence" along the bridge

they don't dust either!

there are usually a few gulls sitting on the top

turning round to see the shadows from the other direction 

I thought I'd missed this flock of geese as they flew overhead... just about got them

 got some lovely shadows on the supports for the treetop walkway again 

I had a few minutes before 10 when the Temperate House doors would open

so walked over to the refurbished cafe nearby

which is surrounded with greenery over the pergola there

no close ups as you can't get in to see properly till they open at 10

this is where I see those fab blue and purple berries and I could see them but not get to them!

good reflections in the building though!

blogger is loading them out of order again!!

once they eventually brought the keys to open up there was quite a group waiting but we staggered our entry

fabulous bird of paradise flower

and I made sure to look for funghi

big trumpet vine with the sun 

although you could still only walk down the centre, they had moved the barriers a bit so you could see along the sides 

but still no climbing up to the platform

I love the waterfall in the TH.  

the trees along Pagoda Vista on the walk back to the Palm House are turning..

although I am sure this tree usually turns golden and beautiful before dropping it's leaves - it seems very bare stemmed to me

but there were no leaves on the floor, so maybe not.

there were quite a few people waiting to go in to the Palm House so I went for breakfast first 

I was hungry, so had a sausage roll as well as cake, with my coffee

there was a table free too, so sat in the sun - it was warm enough from the sun to unzip my fleece jacket for long enough to eat!

 my camera was being a bit temperamental but I persevered

not sure what these are, couldn't see a name  

pink bananas

the gorgeous tendrils we saw last week were still there 

I had to wait for some young people to go by before getting these shots 

these 2 on the phone 

it was then across the path to the waterlily house

there is a cactus in a hanging basket above the side of the pond

it has developed a massive flower since last week

blogger has loaded them all back to front

but it was stunning

I nearly missed this passionflower

I walked across to the Princes sof Wales glasshouse

walking under tree canopies 

agave outside the POW

perlagonium just inside

(I was waiting for the people ahead of me to move on) 

didn't see the spiders web till now

bencomia moquiana   according to the label

it comes from the Canary Islands and I can't get a decent photo of it !

I took this from all sorts of angles today 

as I love the patterns

blogger added them all in reverse order again!  

I can't be bothered to fight it 

these were tiny!

no signs of the water dragon again 

though I looked high and low! 

I'll always stop for the grevillea though 

before heading for the alpine house 

white cyclamen

forgot to look for the name

skillia   (I think)

love this 

it is so pretty 

tub full of pink cyclamen 

then I walked down teh path past the salvia borders, at the edge of the rock garden 

where they are in full colour 

I headed for the top of the Broad Walk 

the big treees at the end of the path are fabulous (I walked under them before) 

fading lily pods/seed heads 

I love that they leave them to go to seed 

still colour amongst the border

round the back the alliums are just texture now.  love them 

but at the far end nearest the Orangery restaurant the yellows are dominant 

through the grasses planted in front of them..

giving an ethereal feel to the border 

it was time to head to the station for the train

there were a load a canoeists padding down the river - into the distance (well that is the direction they were coming from asctually)  

thanks for looking!  

hopefully I'll be back next week, if the numbers don't rise too much more and things have to close down...