Kew in September

 The year is racing along and we're in the final weeks of the 8am members opening at Kew (and next week is a late start due to a local run event taking place) 

The forecast for during the week is quite a lot warmer but today still dull and grey first thing

at the top of the Broad Walk

then I cut across the grass (dry today)  and past the Princess of Wales conservatory - big agaves outside

and the end of the Rock Garden

on my way to the Evolution Garden, easily my favourite at this time of year

the colours are definitely looking more autumnal now

I love to blur the drifts in the background

the umbels were looking magnificent  I love this group of plants, so many varieties but these white ones are gorgeous

and the pinky red stems are lovely

the delphiniums are still looking iridescently beautiful too

at the end of the pergola a last flush of roses

the dahlia still attracting me

they've moved two big pumpkins to the middle of the bed where the tomatoes were dug up from

they seem to be having a bumper year for pumpkins and squashes 

then I walked down the salvia border by the edge of the rock garden

then through the grass garden

outside the other end of the POW conservatory

middle section of the Broad Walk 

you don't notice the webs on the flowers till you download the photos!

the bees were smothering these salvias

walked round past Kew Palace

before following the path round the outside of the Children's playground to the Living Rooves  plantscapes.  

I think they've been given a haircut, I am sure the growth was "wilder" last time I was here

wider angle view 

the sun was dappling through the trees as I carried on my way

past the bamboo garden

to the lake 

and then to the small pond along Cedar Vista 

where I sat for a few minutes in the sun

as I walked on my way to the Temperate House a fox ran out from a bush and scampered off

you don't often see foxes in the day time when there are people about

surprisingly when I got the Temperate House the doors were already open, about ten minutes shy of 10am

there weren't many people inside yet so the pathways were empty

still a little sun shining through the huge leaves

my favourite Silver Daisy bush - missed most of the flowers back when the glasshouses were shut for COVID regulations, but I've been checking since re-opening and today there were a few 

they always water before visitors come in (and get in the way of the hoses)  so some ferns were dripping

bright green stems of the fronds of the Tree Ferns

on leaving the Temperate House I went and sat on my curvy Please be Seated -  I presume as it is part of the temporary Plantscapes exhibit, it will be disappearing later this month

I walked across the grass to the gallery stopping to photograph the building next door

the huge sugar maple outside the gallery is slowing turning orange!  

back at the entrance 

the verbena, tall and imposing

headed inside for my elevenses...

hot chocolate again, and Hummingbird cake,  only one choice of freshly sliced cake due tot he Covid restrictions  - it's rather good though!

then - I don't sit for long -  

to the Palm House

the huge hibiscus are still flowering by the door

it was a steam-up day again!

inside the main door,  some smaller hibiscus

outside again 

into the waterlily house

a few more pelican flowers - it is growing across the ceiling and down the other side of the doorway

not much inside the waterlily pond today worhty of de-misting for!! 

this must be what they look like as they start to fade

I've not been there at the right stage of the flowers before

and back outside again, heading for the Princes sof Wales glasshouse next

past the pond

and more signs of autumn, 

colchicum flowering in  the woodland path

flowering cactus in the entrance of the POW

I kept cutting back on myself up and down stairs 

down by some orchids

not sure what this is, but it was long and striking

a new titan arum is growing, must keep an eye on this

bet I miss it flowering !

then outside and down the end of the Broad Walk,  

love the contrast of the white Japanese anemone with the yellow rudbeckia behind, matching the middles of the anemones.

catching the drifts at the end of the Broad Walk

and some more verbea on my way to the exit.

Thanks for looking 

See you next week.