Kew - a bonus visit

 I hadn't decided what to do today when I went to bed, the forecast is hot again,  but I woke at 4.30 and decided I may as well go to Kew and be hot there...

waiting at the gate I watched the white cloud come and go (the temperature was climbing)

and I already had my had and sunnies on and of course the Factor 50 

pale blue sky today, light cloud 

I intended to mostly sit and enjoy, but of course had my camera with me!

I know it's only been 3 days since I was here, so there's not much changed

but some more of the thalicitrum flowers have opened 

the new series of Kew Gardens: A Life in Bloom starts on Channel 5 next week, and there was a film crew at work 

at the top of the Broad Walk to start with (I kept bumping in to them)

I left them to it and walked down the Broad Walk first

there were loads of bees everywhere, this one flew onto the giant cardoon as I took the photo

the other side of the Broad Walk the bees were all over the alliums too

at the corner of the first break in the Broad Walk I turned and headed round to the Hive

the wildflower meadow has a few flowers..

but the grasses seem to be taking over this year at least 

I went and sat in the hive for a few minutes listening to the music generated from the movement in the hive

after a few minutes (never sit for long !)

I headed round to the evolution garden

were along the fence some sunflowers were coming out

(blogger has reversed them but it makes more sense this way!) 

there were lots of people working on the beds everywhere, before it got to hot - watering, weeding, etc

the bench I was going to sit on in this part of the garden, was soaking wet as a nearby water spray was going and had soaked it....

I was taking this couple of pics with my phone, as the bee flew off and brushed my hand as he went...

the echinacea and heleniums were about to get their watering...  I was tempted to get in the way too but she is in the middle of the flower bed...

back at the Broad Walk the film crew were moving off round into the rose garden 

I sat in front of the Palm House for a few moments

close up of the begonias in one of the urns along the pond edge

breakfast time!

echinops by the entrance

walking up the path heading for the Temperate House

past these 

which look like banana but are enset

as the board tells you

quick hello to Matt and Helen ! 

and the poppies round the back of the Temperate House.

still sad they mowed the rest away

at on the bench in the porch at the end of the Temperate House for the few minutes before 10 when they opened the doors

had to check the silver daisy bush...

before climbing the steps to the platform

even after yesterday's marathon steps at St Paul's!

then I went to the Palm House

and then the waterlily house  where I got in ahead of a school party  (there were several at Kew today, nice to see them back after all the Covid restrictions)

pelican flower in the entrance porch of the waterlily house

and then the Princess of Wales conservatory

a small flowered passion flower by the pond

on the upper level I finally got a decent shot of the passionflowers on the arch 

there wasn't much new in the orchid rooms

and the yellow passionflower only had one open 

coming out I sat on the wall outside for a moment or two, putting my macro lens away

before a quick check in the alpine house 

and then heading home to escape the rest of the heat

it had got to 30 by now and felt more, the cloud had trapped the heatI think

so that's today!  

One more day off before back to work on Thursday - I have an idea, but not definite plan yet!  watch this space but thanks for looking today