Kew - no, you're not dreaming - or, Kew, it's been .... 24 hours!

 Another lovely day forecast (two in a row, wow)  and I was off to Kew for another 9am early start and meeting up with Kim this time.  

there had been a mist on the way to Kew as the bus came past Ham Common, and parts of the river through Richmond,

by the time I got to Kew and the gates opened, the sky was blue again.  Not as blue as yesterday, and more cloud.

I was going to crop our shadows out but...

and I had to try some more of the sunny tulips along the pond shots..

I will try not to repeat all of yesterdays poses...

but we have to have the water drops

I would love to see the tulips in Holland...(and yes we did get the earworm stuck...)  

we turned down the Broad Walk past the bed with the hyacinths

it is mostly still daffodils down the Broad Walk at the moment, but other things are stirring!

the euphorbia were lovely...

and I caught a fly on one bract

magnolia opposite the hive

daffodils outside the back entrance to the POW 

alpine house 

the blinds (or sails as I think of them)  were down to protect the plants from the strong sunshine

Kim wanted to see the pasqueflowers for herself...

I tried not to get too carried away again

but I did get down on the path again , no rain overnight so it was completely dry again 

and the metal railing though low, is very handy to heave myself up off the floor!

the backs are so silky looking!  

then walked back past the slope of more daffodils towards the palm house pond

the giant  gunnera are growing again (I may have mentioned yesterday)  

such pretty stems 

I took this one on the "wonk" so had to straighten it up a bit!!

I know,  I did this yesterday too...

then round by the rose garden, and the path between more cherry trees

more blossom heading towards the meditteranean garden

it just makes me happy!

then we got to the pink beauty from yesterday...

again, I tried not to get carried away

me posting some to FB on my phone..

and in action!  

we took a short walk through part of the Temperate House whose doors had just opened..

looking through the open doors towards the cherry trees

bird of paradise by the door

before heading outside - we decided to have an early refreshment break before the cafes got too busy

some of the cherry trees have leaves first before the blossom,  most the other way round

we sat outside in a sunny spot,  I had hot chocolate and Kim tea  but we both had pain au raisin  as the cakes were sickly sweet for just after 10am!  

we took a slightly different route towards the Japanese garden 

knobbly tree...

fatsia japonica

Pagoda 

we were on the far left boundary to Kew,  there were several of these trees growing along it.

couldn't;t see a label. 

I took one of this shot after the people moved out of the way, but blurred it, so you get people! 

and closer...

more blossom

chaenomoles (flowering quince) 

I thought these at the edge of the Japanese garden may have been further out (again!)  but still just budding.

still, will look forward to them...

we walked through the redwoods 

past the little pond

those daisies again!

we decided to head for the rhododendron dell to see how they are coming along.

this (not a rhodie, I know)  was huge and just beautiful

the rhododendrons are just starting to flower 

typically a lot of the really beautifully pinky red ones were at the backs of beds unapproachable 

lots of camellias too 

the red acers near the magnolia dell are growing new leaves...just beautiful

blooming blogger... this should be after the rhododendrons... 

prunus blossom,  

white magnolia

the lemon magnolia were looking good today,  and the sun yesterday had helped to partly dry the mud - still squishy, but not too bad...

the sky had gone a little murky for a while, but it set off the yellow well! 

I love the middles of the magnolias, especially useful when a petal falls to allow a window for photography!

huge acer near the waterlily house,  new growth... love Spring! 

tulips outside the waterlily house

from the ground!  

new waterlily leaves growing... 

camera wouldn't behave in here today, it was steamy hot.....

good reflection though

tub of tulips at the top of the steps outside the waterlily house

a steamy walk through the palm house next

liked the pattern of the decaying leaf

these flowers were weeny!

we couldn't wait to escape the heat!  

managed to get a shot down into a tulip by standing on the concrete the pot was mounted on

the beds at the front of the palm house

the water drops had dried up in the couple of hours we'd been walking round 

primula

these in the beds were easier to get the middles of!

in the Princess of Wales conservatory quickly

the jade vine is still going well

leaf patterns 

she got me again!  

bit blurry, oops! 

orchid rooms

and then back up the Broad Walk and home 

a fairly short (just over 3 hours) visit  today - Kim's tracker  said we'd done just over 4 miles -  which was enough for us both!

I don't have any plans for any more trips on Sunday or bank holiday Monday so see you next week for Kew!!  

Thanks for looking.