Kew - it got a bit wet

 Hi,  once again it was Kew - a 9am start for half term and storm Aiden was threatening to land over the UK during the day...in fact parts of it were already affected.

a few more of the beds in front of the Palm House  have been planted up

the shrubs round the pond were looking fabulous

and the fountain was on it's timer again

there were workmen in, getting the lights for Kew at Christmas installed (bit dubious as to how this is going to be possible in a Covid-friendly way but we'll see...)

the face sculpture from the back,  as I walked along the little woodland path behind it

I walked round the evolution garden,  

a lot of the colour has gone

and is just seed heads

I went to check out the physalis skeletons

which were most too far into the bed to capture well

I went through into the rock garden - the acer has lost most of it's leaves since last week,

but this beaded clematis on the wall was pretty

the doors to the alpine house were already open, so I walked through

the pink nerines were colourful,

the the scillia still fascinate me

outside the grass garden was blowing in the wind

I love the colours on these leaves

gorgeous

as I got to the Broad Walk,  the tree on the other side stopped me in my tracks

it is huge,  and beautiful 

there was just enough sun to shine through the leaves

the carpet of leaves on the grass was gorgeous too

ok,   time to tear myself away

crossing the grass between the Broad Walk and Kew Palace, but bearing left.

this is another huge beauty!

and nearby under another huge tree canopy,

a selection of tiny

different coloured funghi

the acers I found last week again

there were patches of blue in the sky this week not that you can tell from this photo... but just wait a bit

the wind blew just as I took this, walking under the branches - fab!

as I walked through the fallen leaves, 

I stopped for raindrops (obviously)

but had to go  up close to these beautiful maples

the sun was coming out as I mentioned.

just love them

there was a large crow on a tree

the sun shimmering through branches... 

and then look at the sky!  

I knew it wouldn't last though, so made the most of it

and indeed, less than 5 minutes later as i reached the lake, it was already changing

masses of leaves covering the surface of the water

there were lots of birds on the water, geese and gulls mainly

I walked up towards the pagoda (trying to shoot over the heads of the kids in the way   foreground

 

looking through the pine trees back in the direction of the lake

avoiding the path forming the half term holiday "gruffalo trail" (which was busy)  I found myself at the woodland area - I missed the bluebells this year obviously as Kew was closed..

but it is still peaceful and pretty, in it's autumn colours

I got to the Japanese Garden 

and tried to wait for this couple to move away.... they were in the moment...

eventually they moved off

it started raining at this point....hard!  

I put my hood up but had to resort to the umbrella too (my small workday one, not the huge Kew one)

to things now got cumbersome and tricky, photography-wise!

I decided to head for the Temperate house and shelter, quick!

but I got distracted first

you would not believe the trouble I had with these berries, they just would not focus

inside the Temperate House,  a beautiful pair of bird of paradise flowers

the passion flowers in the middle octagon

above my head, so tricky

peeking over a barrier 

we were directed to turn right this week round the main path

past the stairs - they've cut the climber back a bit at the foot of the steps but I couldn't be bothered to change lenses !! 

peeking through the tree ferns at the waterfall 

outside,again  I crossed the grass towards the gallery

the green netting is around machinery for the lights at Kew going up

now I did change lenses ready for my indoors pics

there was a delay getting in as there was apparently a few people ahead of me,  so I was asked to wait for a bit (expect they were getting out of the rain)

but then I could walk round the main exhibits

you can see my reflecting if you look closely and someone "inside" it too

I had a good look at the works on the walls round the edge of the room

they are really gorgeous even if they depict the destruction of our planet 

back outside it was still raining 

so I headed for the path to the main entrance, thinking Imight have a drink

more evidence of the light trail by the big trees

at the junction with the path by the entrance the huge smoke tree made me stop, had to juggle the umbrella

but it was worth getting wetter 

I went to the loo then headed round the pond, intending to go into the Princess of Wales glasshouse before home (abandoned the idea of a drink)

this is the other side of the tree from my first look at the pond earlier... it looks very different this side

very wet now,  I wasn't going to stop much longer 

and, indeed I nearly didn't go inside, there were quite  few people at the entrance, all wanting to get out of the rain

but they cleared soon and I was able to overtake them!

and I was so pleased I had come in

he was the other side of a barrier barring us from walking through part of the POW

so the bars were in the way

and we weren't socially distanced either, as we tried to get our pictures.

but I only stopped for a couple of minutes

and we were all masked

I stopped briefly for the gravillea too

before making a wet dash for the station - to find 2 trains cancelled and a half hour wait....

then missed my connection and had another half hour wait!!  

as I finish this, the prime minister is about to make a press announcement with a possibility of full lockdown, so may not be allowed back to Kew for a few weeks... we'll see! 

so tillnext time... thanks for looking!