Kew in the rain

Today's trip to Kew features raindrops... lots of them but luckily the ones falling from the sky weren't too heavy

I was well protected in wellies and with my big Kew umbrella,fed up with getting wet feet

at the halfway point along the pond the Christmas lights are going up

and work going on in the pond too

Kim took one of me..I went to the hairdressers yesterday, can you tell!

we went down the Broad Walk first

as I said, lots of raindrops

lots of seedheads

then, able to walk through the very wet grass with dry feet  

we headed across the area between the Orangery restaurant and the Broad Walk 

 

 

blogger is being a pain...

lots of gorgeous trees to our left.. I would check this on my way out later.

it was hard juggling the umbrella, the camera above shoulder height for raindrops!  

quick look in the alpine house

outside the alpine house, the railing by the pond was shiny and wet!

fluffy bullrushes

the gorgeous acer at the corner of the rock garden has largely lost it's leaves, but Kim made a good backdrop for the raindrops on the branches!

nasturtium leaves

eucomis going strong still 

 seedheads

wet rosehips!

the physalis still has lots of fruits

fennel

more seedheads

fluffy (soggy)  kardoon

the last of the rudbeckia

teasels

we weren't sue if this was a tiny snail or a seed

Kim's pic she took showed it is a snail - mine isn't so clear!

"these are a few of my favourite things..."

more hips and berries

these are the same beautiful berries we see at the Pavilion restaurant

flowers or berries on a palm of some kind

then we walked along the salvia boarder in the rock garden

there were some leaves on the acer still

mahonia

the agave outside the POW

we went inside

in the carnivorous room

air plant - it was looking quite green today, normally they are a aple green-grey

pink  bananas

I still can't help looking for the chinese water dragons.  I do miss them!  

orchid (through glass, so hard to photograph)

a fern ready to unfurl

passionflower hanging...

back outside,  huge weeping beech

callicarpa

we'd walked in a circle round the outside of the POW

the prickly pear cactus - no sun this week!!

still looking good though

we walked past the pond to go and get some food

despite such a dull day, still some good reflections

and the mahonia by the pond was also looking bright

beautiful leaves on a tree by the pond

the things in the waster are for the Christmas at Kew event light display

more raindrops - but time for refreshments.

inside, due to a) the seats outside have been moved for Christmas at Kew   and b)  it was wet!!

sadly, the hot chocolate wasn't very (hot)  nor was the cheese and mushroom croissant.... but it filled a hole before we headed off again 

we headed up the path towards the gallery

the Chittamwood is looking stunning... even against a wet grey sky

so many different colours on the leaves

Kim said I match it!! 

still some colour on the tree by the temple of bellona

but it's fading now

the chittamwood, from a little way along the path

there were a few camellias out.  a confused late flush or an early bloom?  not sure 

raindrops!

colour in the newly planted area

squishing across the grass not a care in the world in my dry footed wellies!  

still lots of leaves on the trees towards the Palm House

I liked that the leaves had holes n them...

puddle pictures!

we'd not seen any mushrooms until we stumbled across these in amongst the leaves (almost literally)

this one looks better without the flash!

they were by the lake

I checked out the base of the tree were we saw so many last week -  the rain has had quite an effect on them

but they were still looking quite striking

Kim meanwhile had found these - like  little ladder 

the trees at the lake were looking good

walking round to the end nearest the main garden

lots of leaves just under the surface..

as we walked back towards the Palm House there were a large group of geese so Kim threw them some food

the yoshino cherry trees round the rose garden..

Kim headed off to her exit for the bus 

and I carried on round the rose garden towards my exit

which took me back along the Broad Walk where I noticed this tree had attracted a load of leaves blown in the win

just time for some final raindrops

a better one of the rose from before!

the liquid amber at the junction of the Broad Walk and the path towards the exit

a closer look at the big tree from earlier as promised

a little group of funghi at a tree base

and some fruits or something on a big tree

final tree!

thanks for looking - easier journey home this week by train yay!  

hope to see you all next week.

maybe dry next time!