Kew - so many greens!

 We were able to get into Kew at 9 again today 

it was cold to start with  and dull...

most of the red tulips from some of the beds in front of the palm house have finished 

I had my hair cut and coloured after work yesterday so we were going to play match the hair to the flowers..Kim sent me this one

but the pinky white ones in the urns and beds are still hanging on

although they are losing petals

overnight rain had left waterdrops behind 

there were one or two red tulips left 

can't beat raindrops

heading down the Broad Walk

Crown Imperial Fritillary

blossom between the Broad Walk and the Princess of Wales conservatory

euphorbia, always love it 

the tulips are flowering down the Broad Walk now

we went round by the Monkey Puzzle on our way to the alpine house

water drops on a young fir tree of some kind

gorgeous deep magnolia

Kim was still playing match the hair 

Alpine House

something different in there today., it's called arisaema ringens

never heard of it, but it's quite striking

snake's head fritillary in the rock garden

couldn't miss the Pasqueflowers 

they are so soft and fluffy looking

edited to add a pic from Kim

a smaller variety 

more small pasqeflowers with raindrops!

Kim in action easy style at the Princess of Wales  (not open yet so we came back later)

daffodils near the pond

two geese in flight

gunnera, growing since last week

the blossom on the "weeping" cherry (my name for it)  are fading

but still some pretty colour left 

we headed for an early pit stop 

the chairs outside were a bit damp, but it had warmed up, so we used them

cheese and mushroom croissant this time and I had hot chocolate, Kim had tea

We wanted to check the woodland walk for bluebells as we thought they should be out by now, so that was our next aim  

across the lake

and up the left hand side (in our direction!)  

new growth on trees  

mossy lichen covered branch, gorgeous

loved these leaves

we got to a very muddy, puddly woodland walk

there were a few bluebells starting to come out, but not very many yet,  and no sign of the wild garlic

puddle!  

raindrops on daffodil leaves

beautiful blossom

and some bluebells!

raindrops again (luckily we weren't getting rained on these are all from overnight) 

more greens

we were looking for deep pink blossom to play "match Helen's hair" 

this is the beauty from last week, most of the flowers are out now, 

but there were still some deep buds...

selfie

and Kim sent me one  too 

we went into the Temperate House through one of the side doors,  - paused to take the cherry trees with the Pagoda in the background

bird of paradise coming out

Kim found a snail in a leaf

the false banana is still hanging....

yellow bird of paradise 

 

these daisy like flowers were high up in the main room in the Temperate House

walking through into the final section of the TH, a waft of scent hit us - this Jasmine - this is high up at the top - starting to fade, but the scent ws amazng.

and outside, Cherry Walk had burst into flower - the trees really opened up this week, and loads more tulips have bloomed.

pic from Kim - colour matching game!

the top of the tree, in the grey sky

hopefully next week it will be blue!

half way along there is a band of grass that you can walk between the sections of tulips to get a closer look at the blossom

At the top of the steps looking back.. I couldn't be bothered to change lens!

taking the path through the Mediterranean garden 

back to more blossom 

even after the petals have fallen they are pretty

Kim again getting in close

tulips in a pot outside the Palm House at the top of a slope

there are waterlilies flowering already in the steamy waterlily house

I was still struggling to get the camera to focus  - last week I failed with this! 

the beautiful pink poppies outside the waterlily house

a little past their peak, but such a gorgeous colour

some raindrops left

just along the path behind the waterlily house is a beautiful tree in stunning blossom....

time to play match the blossom again!  

Kim took some of  me for the blossom matching game! 

smelling the blossom

crossing the grass towards the Princess of Wales conservatory, another deep pink  budded tree 

and a huge tree with white blossom 

we walked through the trees I showed you from the Broad Walk earlier...

inside the Princess of Wales now

still lots  on the jade vine

the flowers waiting to bloom have a semi transparent filmy covering...

we got all this way before blogger reversed the order...

on the upper level

peering round the back of an arch, a new passionflower trying to open... hope we don't miss it by next week

looking down on the pond

teeny flowers

didn't spot the name of this tree, but the ball like flowers are incredible

which then open out

orchid room

this is a smaller version of the titan arum  in amongst the orchids.

not sure if it's newly planted there or we were just unobservant last week!  

bright pink bottle brush 

there are still some tubs of orchids left in the exit 

and some grevillea out - shame the sun wasn't shining through it

we walked back through a lower path in the rock garden towards the exit

coming across some more pasqueflowers

and the shady woody path, 

love the shapes of these leaves

rhododendrons

and walking round the pond to the exit

I paused with my phone at some big tubs of tulips and then had to run across the road in a gap in the traffic to avoid missing my bus! 

Thanks for looking,  we'll be back again next week 

hoping for sun (it did come out just before we left today ..)  but at the moment the forecast is drizzle..

(Sunday) I have edited this with some further photos from Kim for the colour matching game !