Saturday's trip to Kew!

a humid but overcast start

there were young geese on the path

then tucking under Mum's wing

 

the canna are starting to grow in the middle of the beds

the bed at the top of the Broad Walk 

heading down the Broad Walk - no sun, so the sprinklers were on

blogger is playing up,  so they'll stay out of order as I walked down the Broad Walk

water drops on the alchemilla mollis

and euphorbia

and scabious

lilies in the euphorbia

achillea

allium seeds

next section is a drift of tall sacabious

in amongst these, that I don't know what they are

allium in the middle of some fluffy grass

think the yew needs a haircut

soft green-grey leaves with water drops sitting on them

at the far end of the Broad Walk is a new extended section

and these are flourishing 

we turned right at the Orangery and went past the monkey puzzle.  Kim thought this looked like a teddy bear - head, 2 arms and 2 legs..

round by the outside waterlily pond they have moved into place the tubs of lotus flowers for the summer

new flower coming

I had to (gently) move the leaf on the left so I could get a good picture of this one

it's like a little umbrella!

Kim at the other end of the pond

such pretty colours

then round to the wildflower bed at the top of the evolution garden

need to enjoy it while I can

an empty path through the EG pergola

the sun hadn't burnt through the cloud yet 

so the petals of this poppy weren't translucent like on Thursday

bee in a clematis, look at his full pollen sacs!

looking across the EG

as we came round to the eryngium section 

we came across a lady sat on the path painting them

she didn't want to chat, either because she was concentating or maybe wasn't English as she didn't respond to us

 

so went and drooled over the Helenium.  crouching down on the path

lots of bees

it was fascinating to see the stages of flowering on these yellow beauties

nigella seed (love in a mist)

bee in a yukka flower

castor oil plant in the veg garden

didn't know they were toxic  - there was a sign up saying do not touch

the agapanthas are starting to flower, hurrah

lots of yellow in the rock garden

they 'd opened the doors to the alpine house early

sedum

the blinds were fully down to protect the plants

they really do look like sails to me

not a huge amount of interest 

we headed through the rock garden

acquilegia

beetle on the fading ox eye daisies

ladybird on a purple iris

at the Palm House pond on our way to breakfast 

I hadn't put my hat on yet as the sun was only just coming out

Kim always says the Palm House looks on the wonk in her photos

it must be an optical illusion, I am sure it is dead straight when you look at it!

we sat outside for our cheese and mushroom croissants and tea

must go round the other side of the walk next time to see what this tree is,

it is huge

into the Temperate House

I like all the twiddly bits on this Chilean wine palm

blogger is suffering in the heat today,  I think the spacing may be all over the shop

outside again

I took this to show the steepness of the slope they grow on

round the other side, a patch o pretty purple flowers

I didn't get quite as carried away as on Thursday

but of course did get right down on the grass

we headed for the lake

as we got back to the top of the lake we saw the heron in the water fishing

I cropped a couple as I didn't have the long zoom.  We saw him pluck out a few small fish from the lake

rose near the waterlily house

passionflowers round the pond

the huge lily pad outside had nearly dried out and had shrivelled to a fraction of it's size.

Kim wasn't feeling too well so headed home

and I headed across to the Broad Walk to go on tothe POW

the achillea on the left side were now in full sun

this seemingly jumble is near the entrance of the cacti section 

today it was flowering, but the other one I took was out of focus

bet this will have opened and closed by the next time i am there

it was really really hot inside (and out now)

so I wasn't going to be long

we'd been trying to catch dragonflies in shot outside by the lake,  I never dreamt I'd get two in the POW (heavily cropped)

 I walked under this before noticing the flowers

nice tendrils too

near the exit they are featuring passionflowers - this is like a veil hanging down and there are lots of flowers to come

this is in a tub

new display in the cool orchid room still being worked on

the new titan arum is entering the next phase of opening

light through leaves

headed out

and back round the pond

to the exit and the bus home.

thanks for looking again,  my week off has flown, just Monday left (my birthday) before I go back to work. 

see you soon!