Happy New Year - Kew

 it was great to get back to Kew today after a gap last week for Christmas and not getting in a visit during the week, being too lazy to make an effort. 

It was also lovely to see blue skies and sunshine

it's been so long since the sky was blue!  the temperature was mild too, quite unlike - was going to say December, but oops it's January

walking round the pond, I loved how the sun was shining through the dogwood

the sun was shining through the trees 

I went first into the Princes of Wales conservatory

where I just avoided a soaking as the Kew student had only just finished watering 

I found the orchids 

I went back out through the same way I came in

pretty patterns on the perlagoniums in the doorway

the sun was dappled through the sculpture 

I walked round to the evolution garden

there were odd bits of colour here and there

the mahonia is still beautiful. 

ostrich plume fern -  not noticed these before,  but the brown was bright in the sunshine

I always like the huge trees at the far end of the rock garden on days like this

with large expanses of cloud lit by the sun 

agapanthas seedheads 

the large acer opposite the archway between the evolution and rockgarden has a huge patch of snowdrops  round their roots which always flower early

inside the alpine house, they've changed the display and there were some beautiful anemones turned translucent by the sun

and some pretty yellow flowers (nananthus) 

the outline of the alpine house against the sky, another favourite view in the low winter light

see what I mean about big trees against the sky

magnolias bursting into bud everywhere

a large clump of fluffy stuff!

at the edge of the broad walk

I walked across the grass toward the Palm House, under large trees

the waterlily house has been emptied for the winter to be cleaned out and will be re-filled and planted in spring

it always amazes me that the waterlilies grown each year from scratch to such beauties.

I walked round the outside of the Palm House through the rose garden - the large red spikes (part of the light display) where glowing in the sun

I walked past the little temple - the hellebores at the foot are still not out - though there are some out elsewhere

the yellow witch hazel has come out now

and along with the orange varieties, are looking fabulous

I went into the Temperate House - this gorgeous bottle brush, bright lemon yellow just inside the door 

the silver daisy bush buds are filling out

this is always one of my favourites, I think it may have been moved as it was at the end of a path and I remember it further along.   

There were several people all taking pictures of it so it's obviously not only me who loves it

then it was to the lake, and blogger has right at the end started reversing order....

dogwood in the island in the middle of the lake

gorgeous reflections of the orangey gold leaves

clouds gathering over the Temperate House as I exited (told you blogger had reversed order)  

look at the sun shining on the dogwood at the other end of the lake crossing

and through the branches 

I walked back up the grass 

nearly stumbling on some funghi

I got back to the cafe and stopped for something to eat - tables inside were full and it was quite busy so I took advantage of the mild weather and ate outside - the tables and chairs are not back yet as the Christmas at Kew event goes on another few days 

as you can see I had to perch on a wall 

as I sat there, the clouds had come across and blocked out the sun, so I headed home.

final shot is some hellebores in the bed at the entrance 

It was fabulous to be back in the fresh air and at my happy place once more - only one week that I wasn't able to visit but it seems longer!

Thanks for looking.