Kew - a very different week

 The sun was due to shine brightly today and the Orchids are back open again after the storm damage last week.

I had a bit of a disaster yesterday though as somewhere between home and the office I managed to lose my door keys (including the office keys)  - they must have got pulled out of my handbag when I took my hat out on the way, without me noticing, and despite walking all the way back home again re-tracing my steps there was nothing for it but a locksmith to change the locks... so checking and re-checking my key was safe... off I set.

gorgeous blue sky and big shadows from the sun by the time I entered

the big patch of bare earth behind the tree palm is where one of the fallen trees from Storm Eunice has been removed

but I was heading for the orchids festival first as I had made sure of a first entry (10.15) time slot so it wasn't too packed

there's another week left of the festival,  but to my eye some of the orchids haven't lasted as long as they usually do,  on the upper level especially later I saw that

I think the turtles are so good

these are just inside the door taking you to the monkeys, so you have to make sure you don't get bashed by people coming through!

whilst I was waiting to be let into the Orchids,  I was talking to a volunteer and she asked me which bits were my favourites - apart from the Rising Sun, I said, the monkeys

they are gorgeous.  

I couldn't resist taking lots more pictures of them again 

I've discovered these birds are humming birds - obviously not to scale!!

I love the tail feathers

like on the first week of the Festival the sun was illuminating the orchids on this arch (and this was another one where some of the original flowers have been removed

still plenty left though

such an unusual colour to these 

I stopped to study the masks again

then to the upper level  

looking at the turtles from the upper level

and down onto the Rising Sun

then I went into the apline house

the hill to the Temple of Aeolus  

daffodils covering the slopes now

I walked round to the side of the Princess of Wales conservatory where the Costa Rican dancers were about to perform

 I sat on the steps to watch - the sun was shining so brightly I couldn't really see whether I was getting good pictures or not

at the same time I was taking some on my camera to put on FB

the wide skirts to their dresses make such fabulous patterns

love the shape of the dress on this pic (from the phone)

euphorbia on the Broad Walk,  brilliant in the sun

with the daffodils in the background

the flowers on the euphorbia are opening more in the sun 

as I could see the fountain was beautiful in the sunlight, I headed there next

the dogwood are still beautiful

of course I took loads!

first off on the macro lens before putting on the zoom to get in closer

here we go...

the jets seemed to be set to a wider angle today, making for spectacular sprays

moving a little further along the path to catch it under the tree

more daffodils on the slope this side too

really starting to feel like spring now

the dogwoods against the backdrop of the fountain

I went into the cafe to see about refreshments, but there was quite a long queue so I just ate what I had with me (hot cross bun)  as I walked on

as I crossed the grass towards the Temperate House as my next destination

a huge bumble bee in this front crocus, but sadly the others I took weren't focused well

so much blossom on the trees across the way

huge swathes of crocus

Temperate House in the background

another tree that lost a huge branch in last week's storm

cornelian cherry,  just covered in flowers

the witch hazels are finished now, but there are plenty of hellebores

more trees in flower - corylopsis

more cornelian cherry

loving it with the blue sky setting off the yellow

the tulips under the cherry trees in Cherry Walk are growing - and possibly that's what the pigeons are eating too!

into the Temperate House next

and my favourites - Silver Daisy bush again 

from the upper platform 

I noticed today that some of the plants have metal wires supporting them and holding them upright as they grow towards the roof

heading down the stairs again looking at shapes and patterns

I am always glad it's not just me that doesn't dust often when i see agaves and cacti with cobwebs on them at Kew

back outside and heading towards the lake eventually

 a huge tree covered in blossum 

some of the trees they lost were uprooted completely rather than losing branches

walking through the woodland area I saw yellow again

the tree label says it's an incense cedar  

didn't managed to reach up high enough to try and smell it though!

the pond part way up Cedar vista - although I was on the other side of the pond to the cedar trees

and at the lake, finally

loving the shape of the branches 

I was approaching the path that leads to the magnolia glade,  lots more crocus intermingling with daffodils coming through

to my surprise the pink magnolia was flowering

the trees are so tall you have to watch you don't fall backwards as you lea to take photos up into the canopy

t least at the moment it's not too muddy underfoot as well - it's very low-lying ground here and gets boggy when it rains

at the edge of the path by the magnolias a huge swathe of crocus again

crouching down low

as I got back to the Palm House the beds show that the tulips are growing well.  I am sure it will be a wonderful display this spring

and heading back down the Broad Walk to go home,

couldn't resist the euphorbias again

and behind them, in front of the waterlily house the slow of daffodils 

thanks for looking . hope you enjoyed this sunny walk as much as I did, I even unzipped my coat today!