Kew

 Hello, thanks for coming back - today we were forecast sunny intervals (as a change from the last 2 weeks) but they didn't materialise... never mind!

as you can see the sky is grey and cloudy... it wasn't desperately cold though

once again I took a walk round the pond, in an anticlockwise direction - for the best colour/reflection options 

I just love the way the water from the fountain bounces on the surface of the pond and creates patterns

I love the dogwood (cornus) round the pond too, as you know



then it was off to the Evolution Garden

the the woodland walk between the pond and the top of the rock garden, white hellebores

teasels at the end of the Evolution Garden, still so structural

the statue of the gardener has had another spray of the globe thistles laid at his fee.  It seems to be some kind of game the students/gardeners are playing... will keep my eyes on him  

hydrangea decaying beautifully (inspired by my cousin to look at the hydrangeas - thank you!)

as I walked the length of the Evolution Garden to the right of the path (I didn't cross to the other side...)

I came across this - I saw a splash of yellow from the previous section and went to investigate... 

it;'s called a Japanese Umbrella Pine - it's quite striking 

then through into the Rock Garden,

the prostrate euphorbia is flowering   

the group of snowdrops under the acer are already starting to fade, clumps further along the rock garden are still in good nick though, but someone was busy photographing those

but as you can see, it's quite a large clump here 

in the alpine house -   little narcissus

these, that I always forget to photograph the label from, are a pale lemon yellow, 

but look white

you can just about make out the lemon colour in the group of them 

two little pots of teeny flowers - dionysia  janthina 

cute little iris 

then I cut back -  diverting to the Hive but it was closed for cleaning the floor, so couldn't go inside

along the Broad Walk, the euphorbia here are flowering too 

and the pink hellebore at the top of the Broad Walk that I shared last week,  I found one that I could see it's face without having to lie on the path!

as I took the path round the edge of the Rose Garden, the Yoshino Cherry trees were full of buds... spring really is on the way  

that's the Palm House blurred in the background

the tall cyprus trees on the edge of the Mediterranean Garden 

I was making a beeline for the witch hazel again.

the beds are underplanted with hellebores - here a gorgeous clump in deep pink. 

then it was witch hzael time - I'd been chatting on FB last week with a WOYWW desker about how gorgeous they smell... I hadn't noticed last week in the cold -  but today I sniffed -  to find no fragrance..

not sure why, it's usually beautiful.  (and no, not Covid, I could smell other things!)

I like to take wider angles to show the extent of the blooms as well as close ups.... they are covered!

now a couple from the phone 

then into the Temperate House - I had the wrong lens on to show the entire size of this 

had to check out the growing silver daisy bush - developing nicely 

I really love this, and did so miss it last year in lockdown when i couldn't visit

once again I took advantage of access to the upper walkway  there were other people up there today, discovering, or re-discovering the view from on high

I walked round the other side of the TH this time, turning right not left at the top of the stairs 

as I looked at these one of the flowers fell to the ground...

once again pausing partway down the stairs to admire these tall yellow beauties.

it's a shame the label is too deep in from the path at ground level to read

these that I took as well last week, are past their peak now

not quite so fluffy now

as I went round the corner, I was nearly struck by a branch - looking at the berries of a pale callicarpa - the beautiful dark purple one out in the gardens has finished 

then it was into the final section 

this time I spotted the label that I thought related to this - and checked it when I got home

it's called Sparrmannia africana

the ones lower to the ground are fading, but these higher above my head are still beautiful

looking down one of the side paths

gerbera 

I crossed to the gallery as I've not been to see the Blackfield exhibition for a couple of weeks

there were quite a few people inside so it was a bit tricky getting down to floor level -  this slightly blurry effort does however remind me of the slightly burnt forest look that the black side of the flowers are meant to interpret.

rather than double back from here to the lake, I decided I was hungry so headed to the cafe for breakfast (elevenses) outside - bacon bap and hot chocolate today

a friend pointed out that the bacon looks a bit thin on the ground - true, there wasn't a lot in the bap but it was tasty (and hot)  

after I'd eaten I did head back to the lake

no hint of icy surface this week, it's much milder 

from the lake I headed toward the azalea garden - they are still down at ground level, cut back  but the acers dotted around in the grass have stunning stem colours 

this is the aptly named Coral Bark Maple

so pretty!

as I walked back towards the Palm House I was going to crunch this leaf underfoot.. but decided it deserved a photo instead

the flowers on this tree attracted me, so I had to go and read the label on the trunk

it's an Ironwood... can't remember what it looks like in leaf, but love these!

fir tree of some kind

I went into the Palm House and had the normal cold day outside/lens misting inside problem....

this caught my eye though -the label says its a Formosa Palm 

out through the main door - geese in the beds eating the plants and the grass!

a final couple of reflections

still no sun - I had seen a small hint of blue sky breaking up the cloud at one stage, but it didn't last long

all in all another great walk though,  thanks for looking!

Maybe NEXT  week we'll get some sun!