Hampton Court - better luck this time!

 After my inability to check opening (or closing) I set off again for Hampton Court this morning...

it was warm as I arrived, but as you can see, some big white clouds

definitely open today, a steady stream walking up to the entrance

obviously I took the scenic route through the wildflowers 

I am not sure if all the vans at the entrance are part of the flower festival or works at the Palace itself. The latter I imagine, given that the festival takes place further round the Palace

I was sure I had come to Hampton Court last year to see this wildflower area (part of the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations as at the Tower) but I obviously didn't as there are no photos...

they, like the Moat at the Tower of London, were looking good though.

I took my time walking through the flowers - it probably only stretches a couple o hundred yards at most

looking back towards the start 

some quite dark ominous clouds were drifting over the Palace but there was only a very slight chance of rain (none fell) 

it really did look good, and you can see from the people in the background how tall some of them are growing.

as I got to the end of the path through the flowers I took this of the entrance (over the tops of the vans blocking the view)

It seems the vans are for works at the Palace as you have to go in a different door at the moment..

reflections and images on the insides of the windows.  I didn't spend a lot of time inside the Palace today, I was there for the gardens mainly so I don't know who these people are (and can't remember from previous visits)

I was also going to concentrate on the varied chimneys, which I know I've done before, but I do love them!

I had purposefully taken my long zoom lens as well today (this is on the macro 100m though)

in once of the courtyards this performer was entertaining a school party

Fountain Court 

took this on the phone - planting to commemorate King Charles round the fountain 

under the archway out to the gardens (my first destination, before it gets too hot in the sun)

the avenues of yew trees lead away from the Palace

two young(ish) moorhens sitting on the side of the pond

I walked up to the end of the path to the start of the Long Water - they've got the pontoons in place ready for the flower festival 

top of a yew tree

this is across to the part of the park where the flower festival is being installed - like Chelsea, they give the garden designers 3 weeks from start to finish to get everything ready for the opening. 

reflections 

nest by the fountain 

one of the moorhens who had been sunbathing, now pecking at the weed in the pond

as I approached the second one got up and took the route down into the water

trying to get different angles and views today

walked along the long border, various wicker sculptures 

these seedheads remind me of a Lavinia fairy stamp 

view of the side of the Palace 

this was a dragon, I should have swapped lenses 

the formal privy garden

I didn't walk down the central path this time

bench

the fountain seemed to be turned off today.  I did read somewhere that they've redeveloped this to it's original plan, so maybe the pond in the centre didn't originally have a fountain.  

with the long zoom on I was able to get good views of the decoration over windows and doors

I've always liked the figures on the sides of these planters

more sculptures

the last time I was here was i think for the 2022 Tulip festival (didn't go this year) when this pond garden looked amazing,  it's a bit between seasons today

but still pretty

in the next one they were trimming the box hedging in a very modern way (chainsaws!) 

the famous vine - the largest grape  vine in the world and 250 years old.  

you can (if you get there at the right time when they harvest the grapes) buy a bunch

now it's chimney time,  although they are all different in design, you  may want to skip some!! I don't mind.

as you can see some are sillhouetted by the grey clouds!

I think blogger has decided to swap order, just when I did a large upload..

never mind!

I knew I'd taken one on the camera too!  

had the right lens on this time through the arch,

W and M over the windows for William and Mary (R for Rex/Regina - King and Queen)

more chimneys!  

I headed out and round to the rose garden - supposedly at it's best..

I think the publicity was a bit out of date as to be honest they were starting to fade.

I spoke to a volunteer who was deadheading and she agreed with me!

these were beautiful

I always like to try and get a view of the Palace behind the roses!

more yellow daisy things

looking great against a wall

they'd definitely have been better a couple of weeks ago as the volunteer lady said.

again, I should have had the other lens on... a wicker joust!  

I headed for the cafe and tea and cake as it was nearly lunchtime

the tea didn't come with a saucer, but the cake (rhubarb and custard) was lovely

I sat inside where it was air conditioned!  

before I headed back to the main Palace I took a brief look at the kitchen garden

this cabinet which I got part of in shot would originlly have been used to display auriculas I think 

beautiful alliums

another lady and I swapped places to get our shots and chatted briefly

these ones with the deep red middles were lovely

the wind blew!

in the middle of the veg beds. 

I didn't walk further round the kitchen garden

opulent staircases 

the other side of the bedding at Fountain court

can you tell blogger is playing bloggers!!  

peeking through doorways

I was looking for Henry VIII apartments and eventually took a right turn and found the stairs up to them ...  though blogger would have you think it's off fountain court!

as I got into Henry VIII's Great Hall they were about to start a performance 

so took some photos of the beautiful windows 

and tapestries, and sat at one of the long tables.

ceiling

actors from William Shakespeare's troupe told us they were about to share a couple of scenese from a Midsummer Night's Dream 

there was a lot of noise and I was unable to hear all of it

in comes the Queen (from the play) who is going to play Titania

I am not very familiar with the plot.  I know bits.  

luckily I was on the wrong side of the table to get roped in to the audience participations! 

they do this kind of thing a lot, mainly in summer and high tourist season

once the performance was over, I made my exit 

through Base Court

and out

again, over the tops of the vans!

I walked up to the barrier to look at the flower bed in front of what is usually the main entrance

before talking a last walk through the wildflowers to the exit gate

the arches are on the bridge over the Thames 

I couldn't resist more photos of the flowers

and chimneys!

love the shadows on this one

a final look back at the Palace

before putting the camera away I took pictures of the tops of the gateposts

and then across the bridge; the streetlamps stretching across the bridge in a line 

upriver 

thanks so much for looking, hope all the chimneys didn't bore you (or the wildflowers0  

wonder where I'll go tomorrow....

you may need to be up early!!