Kew, a sunny, breezy visit

 Here we are again, time to take another trip to Kew

it was sunny as I made my way along the path by the Palm House with Kym but very breezy

the geese were sunning themselves on the path (the "babies" are growing fast and their feathers are developing well

we agreed to meet up at 10 for tea and cake again and I made my way round to the fountain, bright in the sun

the crocosmia in the bed by the pond are gorgeous

from here I headed to the Broad Walk for some macro action

the roses at the top end are lovely

and the sun was shining brightly through these pretty flowers

the huge globe thistles tower in the sky 

trying some arty farty shots

I get obsessed with these!

I can't resist clouds, (phone) 

then round past the rock garden

the yellow daisy things in the wildflower bed by the student plots 

the poppies have nearly all gone

but some of the cornflowers remain 

they don't seem to have lasted as long this year but maybe that's my memory playing tricks

I seem to have taken this on the wonk...

some of the roses up the pillars are finished but there are still  a fair few left

I looked round the new veg beds.

the plants are settling well 

I took some of the runner beans climbing up their supports, on my phone

found some more of these in the bed at the far end of the garden

then back along the path under the pergola

these are still beautiful!

I paused and spoke to a lady  I'd seen a couple of weeks ago

I could see Lynda the other side of the beds, in the veg plot

masses of blooms!

walking round the evolution garden

lots of beautiful purple

clematis of some kind

there is so much I love in the evolution garden at this time of year

looking fabulous against the summer blue sky

the Helenium have burst into flower

these are some of my favourite beds here

it' a variety called Sahin's Early Flowerer - just as well, as I associate these with late summer!

I love them though

the ecinacea are flowering too

and at the end, the verbascum still gorgeous

opposite the verbascum,  a large group of lilies

not sure what these are, they are in the peony bed next to the verbascum

I was trying to get the yellow and the white together!

back round by the pond now

it's a beautifully colourful bed, no covid planting restrictions this year (last year, or was it the year before -  if you remembered they concentrated on other areas  when they had fewer workers in

orangey red begonias, 

not sure about the purpley-blue, will look for labels next week

made my way through the geese

to the rose garden

which is still spectacular although early varieties are dropping petals like confetti

this one is called tranquility, perfect!

then I headed off towards the lake,

this is a Chinese Cedar (I had to go and read the label on the trunk, I was fascinated by the flowers)

I bumped into Lynda as I was heading to play with the mirrors, (had to be done)  she was off to the top end of the lake

blogger has decided to reverse the mirror play!

as I was walking away I turned to take this view from further away and noticed a lady sitting on a bench nearby... she must have been watching me

doing this

and this!

but I love them

I did notice today, that the side that has veg growing in them, has no glass in the frames

they are growing very well

I finally made it to the lake,

the reeds at this end are really vigorous and it's very boggy

the slime on the top was a bit smelly too!

but it'll clear eventually

at the crossing

another huge gaggle of geese on the other side of the lake

looking back at the crossing

for a change I walked (briskly) through the bamboo garden

before heading along the path that would take me to the woodland walk eventually

I passed the "mad hatter's teaparty" table from several years ago

I saw Kym heading in the other direction

it looks so different in summer, no bluebells to brighten it up

but I came across these

and some tree trunks

I walked through Redwood grove

and back to the path that runs from the lake to the pagoda

at the waterlily pond I came across Kym and we walked together 

back tothe Temperate House

pausing for clouds...

and poppies 

on the slope by the Temperate House

she's as mad as me

I don't think she noticed me take this one!

at the top of the slope on the flat we stopped again for these pretty purple flowers

it was very breezy and they (and the poppies) wouldn't keep still

and it was very bright so i couldn't see what I was taking

we then went and had our tea and cake

it was just us two today as Lynda was keen to get home for the F1 qualifying  (I am writing this watching it from Silverstone, where it is raining, sunny here)

lemon and elderflower cake today and a cup of proper tea!

after a good natter we went our separate ways..

and I forgot to look for the name of these

but I know this one, my silver daisy bush

then from the viewing platform

peeking through the struts

the planting from above looks so lush

back on the ground

lots of passionflowers waiting to open

ferns...

blogger has reversed these again

outside round the other side of the Temperate House

lots more poppies

they wouldn't stay upright in the wind!

 then I headed past Matt and Helen (this is Helen)

back to the Palm House

I've had to delete and re-load these so they stay in order

as I walked past the palm house bed

I noticed the middle longer bed was full of taller yellow flowers 

I really wish we could walk around the beds inside the cordon

ok, into the Palm House

it was very humid inside 

so I didn't linger

there was a group of people coming in as I left, so I forgot to look at the gorgeous rusty wall on my way out!

across into the waterlily house

more pelican flowers opening

and lots of new waterlilies

pitcher plants hanging basket by the side of the pond

hibiscus in the planting round the edge

then the short walk to the Princess of Wales conservatory

lotus flowers

I'll miss this beautiful pink waterlily , shame.

what a lovely colour

then the upper level

one of the arches they use for the orchids is covered in passionflowers

small, yellow and white ones.

they were all growing on the insides of the growth covering the arch

and very hard to photograph well

so they're a bit fuzzy

some little orchids

towards the exit a tub of yellow passionflower, lots of blooms, hope I catch them next week

then into the alpine house

some little alliums

eucomis

I took several of these but for some reason the macro made them really dark

it's called ptilotus manglesii

I'll try again next week

blogger's reversed these last lot again.. this is with the alliums

outside by the californian poppies

the scar where the massive branch fell in the storm is healing

the entrance to the Duke's garden

verbena

as I expected, the day lilies had burst open this week

these beautiful white poppy like flowers are stunning

Romneya coulteri (fried egg flower)

beside the sunshine orange ones was an odd looking plant that I couldn't see a label for - really unusual colour

I went round the other side of the bed for a closer look

did you guess, blogger reversed them!  

I was going to have to make a move for my train soon

so it was back to the end of the Broad Walk 

red hot pokers by the allium seed heads

poppy seedheads by the exit to the toilets at the Orangery

just one left flowering

that's it for today, thanks for looking. 

There's a Brucie bonus coming as I have some time off next week coming split over next week and the one after so watch this space!

(no spoilers!)