Kew on a sunny Tuesday

 Keen to make the most of the 8 am members opening, I headed off again in the dark and cold .

there was barely a cloud in the blue sky and the sun was starting to peek through but the beds were still in shade

for the first time in ages, I had taken my ultra wide angle lens, (the forecast was for mist in some parts so I was hoping for atmosphere)

no mist, but wide open skies

I decided to head for the lake first as I knew there would be fabulous reflections, 

the grass was wet with dew, looking almost frosty white 

as I walked past the end of the Temperate House (and indeed the other Plantscape installations) the seating  was all cordoned off and being dismantled.

tomorrow is the first day of autumn proper with the autumn equinox

the sun was low shining through the Temperate House

and another group of workmen were working outside the back of the Temperate House - getting the new Japan exhibits ready no doubt

A large patch of colchicum were bathed in sunshine...

so it was time to lie down on the path and get close...

just stunning!  

I would have climbed up the Treetop Walkway, honest... but they hadn't moved the barrier to the steps.

so it was straight past to the lake.... where I was not disappointed.....

wide angle lens opened right up....

the reflections of the trees were just so vibrant

and on the other side, the trunk of this tree was rippling with a reflection from the water onto the trunk, instead of the other way round

I have taken these photos before, but possibly never so early in the morning.  

on the other side the sun is rising behind the trees on the island in the lake

gorgeous shadows from the trees as I crossed the path

at the Pavilion restaurant, I looked for the blue and purple berries that I forgot about at the weekend,

just turning colour 

lots of dew still on the leaves of the vines

like beads 

followed the path back to the Temperate House

this installation has been emptied of it's plants already

there were a few more people about now, and lots of workmen in tractors 

the large maple at the gallery

when I got back to the entrance 

I decided to stop for breakfast...

they had bacon baps today!!

the table was wet with due but luckily the chairs were ok.

a group of Kew staff  at a nearby table moved off, with a load of film cameras - I watched which way they went....

I then headed round the lake, stopping for photos of "my" fountain

from different angles

and a fallen maple leaf outside the Princess of Wales conservatory

and into the evolution garden

dew drops galore

they were all dripping wet

the Kew camera crew were the other side of the beds  

no slugs today

still roses flowering on the far end of the pergola

back at the other end, as I went up to go into the Princess of Wales conservatory,  filming was in full swing.  I couldn't get close enough to hear - I imagine it's for one of the Kew blog films

so I left them and entered the POW conservatory which is just round the corner 

there were some flowering cactus in the arid section

and some pelican flowers  by the pond

I went to heck on the Titan Arum

had a lot of trouble with my lens misting....

it was closing up further 

and the height seems to be shrinking

still quite impressive though

had better luck with the phone

they seem to always cut a "viewing hole" once it;s flowered, at the bottom of the stem

I imagine by Saturday (not intending at this stage to be back again before then)  it will have changed completely!

outside the coleus were translucent in the sun

just gorgeous

they were re-arranging the cyclamen pots from inside the alpine house, to the rocks outside

I walked back up the path to the other end of the rock garden

never seen this before -  Salal gaultheria shallon

new one on me.   

the group of school boys who'd been sitting on the ground here around 9, had moved on... (they were drawing)

it's good to see school groups back again with the post pandemic restrictions lifted 

the woodlands being dismantled

I headed back towards the Temperate House

a crew of staff were working on the cherry trees

looking through a window 

inside the main door -  large sections are closed for the Japan installation being set up (it begins 2 October)

one of the octagons, emptied of plants (they're all in pots in this part and have been moved elsewhere)

Either end is open to walk round

walking back to the Palm House, I nearly trod on this mushroom!

the prunus are starting to change colour

I had long since shed my coat, it was glorious!  

I sat on a bench and read a book for a little while - I had intended to do this a lot today, just sit and read... and not take many photos!!  

ha ha... oops.  

not sorry at all!

I did move from a shady bench to a sunny one, but it was very warm

so I went into the Palm House to cool down!! 

the light outside was illuminating the palms insie beautifully

a new flush of these pink and white flowers had come out since the weekend

back outside I walked past the bed of coleus and noticed a web between the two clumps

I walked back round the pond again as the sun was sparkling so brightly on the fountain

had to take a selfie in the sunshine

Heading down the Broad Walk 

pretty butterfly on the asters

and I finished with a picture from each side of the bed at the far end of the Broad Walk,

into the light

4 different views 

light behind me!

thanks for looking,  let's do it again at the weekend!