Kew - what a scorcher!

 Parts of the UK are due to have the warmest days of the year so far this weekend, so I planned to take my early slot at Kew and leave before it got too warm.   It was a hat and sunscreen day for sure!

8am and the sky is blue and cloud-free.

there was a delicious breeze though and my weather app said the temperature was about 20(celcius)

you might just see under the hat that I had my hair re-coloured and cut this week

I walked round the side of the pond first today

as I was going to head for the Evolution Garden first

you know how much I like the early light and the way the sun dapples across the beds

I like to put photos on FB as I go

this was one.  

I loved how the echinops where leaning towards the sun

the Evolution Garden is divided up into series of "rooms" depicting plant families  so I came back to these beauties on the path to continue my way along the main path

there are a mass of roses scrambling over and across the pergola

a different variety at each post

last week I forgot to check my wildflower border, 

the majority has gone over now

but the cornflowers (which were a week or so later coming out) are still there

the grass was still damp from dew on my toes, it was cool and refreshing!

the "hot" side of the Duke's Garden (the opposite side are blues and purples and paler pinks)  drew me today...

the day lilies were magnificent

I walked past on my way to the Hive - love the face nestling in the undergrowth

scabious in the wildflower meadow round the Hive 

this isn't rain but leaf litter and plant debris  - they'd not been to clean yet

walking down the steps from the Hive

not sure what this yellow is, there is lots of it though

stopped to look at the pattern of the Hive on the floor underneath it

then round to the Broad Walk 

bees enjoying the coneflowers

achillea

I walked round the side of the children's adventure playground and peeked through the gate...

before walking a bit further along to the "living rooves" installation - I'd not been this way since the first weekend

the grasses and plants on the rooves have certainly grown!

I found one that had a hole to look through that wasn't completely child-height (still had to bend in half to get under the roof to do so)

it was peaceful and cooler in the shade of all the trees so I stuck to this part of the gardens for a while 

you get to the top of the rhododendron  glade but as they've finished I went the other way

crossing the grass with the Palm House to my left and the lake to my right - but I headed for the poppies at the Temperate House

I thought they might have mowed the bank they're growing on because as I approached, the ones that aren't covered in poppies have been cut....

but no, they are still there

you can see from the number of seedheads, just how prolific this patch of poppies have been! 

I took loads again..

the wild grasses are starting to dominate thought

and these yellow whatevers... 

posting to FB again.

last couple as I tore myself away and went round to the front of the Temperate House 

 and sat and rested....

in the shade of the  curves on Please be Seated

I sat for several minutes listening to the radio before heading round to the door to go inside 

agapanthas just inside the door

big agave

aeonium 

there were just a few flowers left on the passionflowers 

the fern tree (that isn't a fern)  

(jacaranda mimosifolia)

still looking spectacular 

these next few are in reverse order to how I  took them, but no matter.

blogger being blogger again

these are actually opposite the Jacaranda!

beautiful apricot coloured roses in the rose garden - realise now I didn't walk through the whole garden as I went into the Palm House 

no trouble with misting lenses today, it was hot outside ! 

shapes and contrasts 

then across the path into the Waterlily house

cactus hanging basket

orangey passionflower  in the corner

lotus

hibiscus

lotus leaves

outside now, tree fern hiding the Palm House

in the Princess of Wales glasshouse

Mum used to have this as a house plant when we were at home, these have better flowers though!  

I had of course, missed the opening - and closing  - of the flower of the titun arum! 

never noticed them cut a hole in the base before 

the final growth chart - 310 cm 

this orchid looks like a spider!

alpine house - these were massive 

the californian poppies round the alpine house were amazing 

 

then it was to the Broad Walk and on my way home 

lots of yellow in this bit!

it was late morning and getting very hot (for me) so I headed off for my train home

thanks for looking