Kew - a Funghi Day of the Dead visit

Opening shot from my phone today....

as I managed to hit a setting on my camera when I got to Kew..

and everything was black and white...

Luckily Kim took a panarama photo on her phone of me taking my opening shot

I managed to sort out the camera... 

first off, heading down the Broad Walk

where some overnight rain had left drops...

the liquidamber tree was spectacular

we headed across the wet grass (having said we'd stick to paths today)

this huge tree looks as if it has a face carved in the trunk... 

lower down it's just as interesting

s we walked round towards the Princess of Wales conservatory, we saw a big tree trunk felled to the ground...

there was a big notice to explain why - the reflections may stop you reading it... 

sadly just a week ago this massive old tree lost it's canopy and was too dangerous to leave so had to be felled.

one of the oldest trees in the gardens.  so sad. 

the first gate into the Duke's garden was barred off but we snuck a look 

gorgeous bearded clematis

the waterlily pond 

some lovely water bubbles!

I needed 3 hands - one to hold the stem in a decent position, one to focus and one to press the shutter....  as I only have 2,  it's a bit out of shot 

reverse order again thanks Blogger!

soggy seedheads 

last of the rudbeckia

asters

seedheads against a grey sky

astrantia

can you see the raindrop ?!  

salvias still looking good

the strawberry tree - the "strawberries" have mostly fallen

mahonia looking fab 

more raindrops on the edge of the leaves of the face sculpture

agave flowering outside the Princess of Wales  

the leaves were very wet!

to the side of the POW I noticed these berries ..

then as Kim joined me I noticed what she was looking at...

this spiky cactus with big purple flowers!

I think this one on my phone was better though

Michaela tells me on FB they're prickly pears.  

red maple outside the POW  nearly lost all it's leaves 

another liquid amber tree,  glorious

at the lake there were lots of gulls flying around

the light shining through this area was gorgeous but it was hard to capture well

as we got to the bench Kim always feeds the geese/ducks from, there was a large gathering waiting... making a right racket!

we sat on what looked to be a dry bench.... it was mostly dry!! 

there were loads more gulls and ducks and geese on the water 

more geese coming in to land!  

as we crossed the lake, pausing for this big tree on the island

and some reflections...

a gentleman coming the other way told us there were some great funghi just under a tree near the crossing.

I promised you funghi.....

he said we'd not be disappointed....

there was loads of it all round the leaf litter under the tree -  indeed if we'd not been told about it we'd probably have thought it was leaves and walked by...

AMAZING

I also promised you the Day of the Dead and Mexico (last weekend of the autumn event)

so we headed past the Treetop Walkway 

into the Temperate House

we could hear music outside .....

Kim had seen this puppet last week but it wasn't "operating" at the time

there were as you can see, lots of people (in the way)  watching....

and dancing 

I changed lenses quickly 

these next dozen or so are back to front....

they led off a conga (at which point we departed)

it was great fun!

ok let's see if the next ones will go in order...

this little lad was waiting at the gates with his smaller brother and dad whilst we were waiting too - he had a plastic golf club he was trying to break the gates down with - his dad said they were used to getting in at 8am !!  

his brother was more interested in the brightly coloured skeletons!  

ok, as I was saying, cue conga line....

we took a quick walk through inside

before we headed back out into the gardens in search of more funghi

had to change camera battery and then a photo of one of my favourites

heading for the woodland walk (where the Kew magazine had said is a great funghi source)

passed the Japanese garden with some more gorgeous liquid amber trees

and others  (should be in front of the 2 above)  

callicarpa berries in the Japanese garden

we headed towards the woodland walk,

keeping our eyes peeled as we did so...

some of these were a bit off the path but they weren't roped off or anything so I went closer

there were certainly lots of them

teeny tiny ones

bracket funghi...

masses at the base of tree trunks

some on a moss covered stump, looking like stones 

weird ones!

and as we reached the log walk the kids can climb on, we found loads more...

it looks like it's dripping!

some of it was very hard to photograph well

and some in the leaf litter looked more like octopus tentacles!

are you bored yet?

at the far end of the lake after we finished the woodland walk 

stunning colours on the trees

reflecting in the lake

as we headed back towards the Palm House to exit, 

we came across another huge group of the orangey red ones

best to make the most of them

this was in the grass by the side of the lake

bit blurry, sorry

and these dark ones in the edge of the reeds round the side of the lake

back having done a big circle at the lake crossing

last little funghi!

themirrors are still in situ

love how you cant tell which are trees and which reflections

and back at the pond by the Palm House - now in colour!!  

thanks for looking - I promised you funghi, and boy was there lots,  and the Day of the Dead celebrations were fun too.

see you soon!