Kew - gorgeous colour

 The trip today was another 9am start for the half term Gruffalo trail (still didn't see any of it!)  

I started at the Palm House as usual

and then headed back towards the route of maximum autumn colour 

the colour has intensified incredibly in the last week

I was drawn one way and another for the colour 

I followed the path along by the lake but then headed left towards the Japanese Garden that I forgot to visit last week

the trees by the Japanese Garden haven't turned as much as I thought -  I spoke to a Kew staff member who was walking past, who agreed 

finally found a label for these nearby the Japanese garden - fatsia Japonica

I was surprised how green the liquidamber still was

the huge sugar maple outside the gallery  has totally transformed in the week, loads more gorgeous autumnal colours 

It wasn't ten yet quite so the gallery was still shut, but I took some close ups of the tree outside,

it's fascinating

to fill the last few minutes before the gallery opened  I went back to the sugar maple and had a scuffle through the leaves

Kim, one of the other regulars from the front gate, was also waiting for the gallery to open after I'd told her how fascinating I found it last week

I took a shot of the tree from the side as the doors opened

I took some photos of the first cabinet 

and then into the big square room for Blackfield

as we were in there early there was space to get down on the floor for loads of close ups

I moved along the row and took a few from the painted side too but I still prefer the black!

at the other end, Kim was down at floor level too!

I know there are loads here and they probably all look the same,  but I was moving around the display!

When Kim caught up with me, I laughed at her reaction to the painted side - she hadn't realised there were coloured on the other side!  

Just the same as me  last week!

as it was starting to fill up with visitors I pulled myself away to the rest of the exhibition

there's another perspex box on a wall with some further images - I think I included this last week as well

as I crouched down to take some pictures of the bottom level of the big cabinet I noticed the shadows underneath

close up of the butterflies

this week I also looked at some of the paintings - 

this one was beautiful -  

and I was amazed to see the accreditation next to it -  very different to Damien Hirst's normal style

I commented as such to a couple who came out and stood next to it as well.  

there is also a display of i-pad artwork by David Hockney

I think last week i mentioned that you are able to buy some of the steel pieces to paint yourself - or you can have them black both sides -  

today I found them -  there were a few more than this in the kit, but I couldn't get them without glare -  about 8 in all I think -  at a cool £50  (perspex box NOT included - I think I'll pass thanks!

I headed back along the path to the cafe at the entrance

and stopped for refreshments (ate outside as it was dry and fairly mild today

hot chocolate and a sausage roll (hot)  - pork and cranberry - which was lovely

I never stop for very long in case I miss something exciting!  

before heading off again

I was a little surprised at Elizabeth's comment last week (or maybe I misunderstood )  about the shape of the beds - perhaps she meant the shape of the planting within them - as the beds themselves are the same shape all the time, it's just the planting that changes during the seasons

hope that helps  Elizabeth

walking the path round the rose garden,  stopping for a big tree!

and some brightly coloured holly berries

which are a bit blurry, sorry

I was mostly keeping off the grass as in places it had been roughly mown and the cuttings left behind - which stuck to my boots -

but I had to go and look at the last few roses

before heading into the waterlily house

lens misted up again, this was the best I could get of the decaying pelican flower

it seems to fold in on itself.

fascinating

there was only one big flower 

back outside, I think this is a tulip tree  - it's by the side of the end of the pond

headed past the fountain on my way to the Princess of Wales conservatory next

the red maple seems less red and more orange today

another misted up waterlily!

the passionflower arch still has loads of blossoms

headed down the steps past these beauties

to see the titan arum - not huge yet so no photos but will still keep an eye on it

there were a few tubs of orchids dotted here and there 

then into the alpine house

always something new to see - this has a long name I've never heard of..

gesneriaceae  - don't ask me how to pronounce it or what it is!

pretty though!

the schillia are fading from the bottom up now

outside in the rock garden

nerine

crispy gladioli !

this is magnificent in spring or now in autumn

gorgeous acer

and the salvia border is still going strong

but I turned into the evolution garden

the pumpkin display is still attracting lots of interest in the veg beds

yay!!  the physalis are "skeletonising"  

I had to lift stems out of the way with one hand and try to get focused images with the other

there are loads of flowers this year

I shall keep an eye on these -  most of the rest of the evolution garden is fading now for the season

but there are still quite a lot of flowers on this

the rudbeckia mostly gone over

everything else in my favourite section is mostly seed heads now - still love them though!

the huge black walnut tree looks stunning with the still bright green leaves against the tree trunks

I headed back along the path towards the Temperate House walking up fromthe rose garden 

however when I got to the Temperate House - it was mid-day now - there was a long queue round half of the building - the afternoon entertainment is the giant calligraphy performance (so described in the leaflet)  that starts at 1.30  - and no way was I going to wait that long -  much as I'd love to see her 

so I didn't get to see the chrysanthemums today 

I shall have to make sure I go in earlier next week!

as I walked back along the mud track (grass all trampled away)  I got sidetacked by the colour of the leaves on the witch hazels - I missed the flowers in the spring lockdown - but these make up for it

some of them are yellow equally pretty

close up of the patterns 

by now my legs were protesting so I decided to head home

down the Broad Walk to the exit 

not sure what these are  -the leaves ar very familiar......

lots of seed heads still 

and the round bed at the far end of the Broad Walk

- the cannas are just about finished, but there are still some dahlias flowering

a final  low level shot to finish

hope you enjoyed today's visit as much as I did

now to put my feet up!

thanks for looking