Kew - damp then sunny

 It was good to have Kim back today and the rain was only light for a short while - but look out for raindrops!

down the Broad Walk first as usual

the scent from the Phlox was lovely

the Cardoon flowers are so high up

still some allium heads in the borders, gone to seed but so structural

agapanthas looking good

the drizzle was getting a bit heavier 

as I leant over the border to take these echinops, 

I got stabbed by the spikes on the leaves of this!

normally these are covered in bees, but it was obviously a bit too damp for them still

as we went round to the back of the Broad Walk and along the grass we had to give in and use our umbrellas, 

so it was a bit tricky keeping things in focus and the umbrella out of the way

but by the time we got here it had stopped so it was brollies away

great drops on the lotus pads

into the veg garden, runner bean flowers.

the companion planting under the vegetables was looking good,

these marigolds were lovely

lots of raindrops 

beautiful sunflowers - short ones, close to the ground..

bee on cosmos

as we came out of the veg garden I spotted that the gates to the student beds had been opened so we doubled back on ourselves 

the last of the cornflowers and poppies in one bed

and lots of sunflowers - which is what we'd wanted to see as we passed a few minutes earlier

cue sunflower overload...

I think I took this on the vertical, but it looks quite good this orientation too

this bee was covered in pollen!

this bee started to crawl up the petal just as I took the photo....

 the back of one 

cosmos

marigold

last couple of sunflowers, overhead tall ones!

the paint-splattered flowers are still going strong

lots of drops on their leaves

not sure what these are, but like the spikes! 

Kim and I were watching this bee burrow right into the flower, and it then backed out again, having collected the pollen 

eryngium, of course 

echinacea, even more of course 

and helenium

rainy dahlia

then my favourite stretch of the beds in the Evolution Garden

asters, all rainy!

solidago behind

love this shot

solidago on it's own.  

not sure what this was

agapanthas

into the rock garden, salvia border is coming into beauty

climber on the wall,  not sure what it is but lovely!

cardoon with the alpine house in the background

spiral agave, we've managed to miss it flowering as we don't always approach the alpine house from this bit

sempervivium in the alpine house, the doors were open as some one was in there watering, and didn't stop us entering

in a pot by the door, missed recording the label

in the rock garden 

these have a very long name...

haploppapus chrysanthemumifolius 

 crumbs!  

spotted this under the archway through the rock garden

these were in the middle of the rock garden and we both wished we could climb on the rocks to get closer !

outside the Princess of Wales 

heading back to the pond

bit dull, needs sun on the spray, but still fabulous

we were encouraged by the blue, but not so much by the clouds behind it....

so headed to the cafe

to eat and drink

I decided I was hungry enough for a sausage roll this week, and there wasn't much cake selection.

afterwards we headed back past the Palm House -  Kim reminded me I had a panorama setting on my phone...

not used it a lot..

Kim's used her function more than me!  she didn't realise I was in it though

we headed to the lake 

the blue seems to be winning!

we took a slightly different route across grass

fabulous lichens

these intrigued us, fantastic patterns -  

the tree is a swamp cypress

having trouble with spacing now, sorry!

 

blogger has just started messing with my order....

this is obviously as we were crossing the lake

poking through the holes in the "fence" along the crossing

it had rained a fair bit first thing! 

that's me at the other end....

by the side of the lake

there were lots of these dotted around... we weren't sure what they were exactly but the pop of colour to come was great!

back to the right order, across the lake

cloud reflections in the water

more of the purple -  is it purple loosestrife?  I don't know....

we took a right turn along the lakeside

peering up at a Californian Redwood.. trying to not topple backwards doing so!

we found some more,  further opened 

and popping seeds

then the sun came out. 

there were baby moorhen running around 

as we got toe the top of the lake we headed left and along cedar vista to the hydrangeas

we took a path through the patch to a more secluded area

where we found these beauties

this bee was almost swimming in the flower

back round the front of the bed along the Vista

the sun was out again and the light on them was amazing

as we continued we noticed these huge leaves.

I went to read the label -  Japanese large-leafed magnolia... they're not kidding.  We have made a mental note to check next year when it's in flower...

love the sun through the leaves as we headed to the Temperate House

through the Davies Exploration House first,  plants from Western Australia (I read the sign on the way out

these are Strawflowers.  they're near my favourite Silver Daisy bush...

I hopped up onto the wall that surrounds them (it's not too high) for an aerial view

but they're better from this angle

the silver daisy bush, not to be left out,  is nearing the end of it's flowering season

they've got a grass tree in here too

we crossed to the main temperate house

this is the big tree at the door of the Exploration house

up the stairs to the platform 

we took the right hand way round this time 

I tried to get one of Kim but she was too quick for me to move

my current favourite,  from up top 

bits of the structure

back on the ground

from the ground 

looing up into the greeb

against the light

facing the other way!

this is the flower of the aeonium still going strong 

this is a new plant of the eneste, the false banana that has been flowering all spring.summer and died last week when it's flower finished... wonder if it will flower 

great light on the top of this palmy thing 

Kim spotted this - love the strange way the ?flowers? grow

never seen a cactus flower like this 

hoodia dregei

yes these are in the Temperate House, where it's moist near the waterfall

banana near the exit

couldn't be bothered to change lens lol!  

myrtle

into the waterlily house

loads of passionflowers 

close up function insisted on using the flash!

there was a couple in there with a double width buggy which took up the whole path width, making it a bit tricky...

these red ones are growing quite high up and it's awkward to get them

seen from the other side of the pond 

hibiscus

our usual path across the grass to the back of the Broad Walk heading for the POW

can't resist these 

cactus in the POW entrance

the huge flowers from lst week have gone, but there are a few about to open

these have finished

these are just to the back of the cactus area

these have finished

but Kim sent me one she took last week in their prime

spiny!!  

orchids

then to the passionflowers near the exit 

in the exit way.  amazing light 

it was time to head home.

the sun was out on my fountain! 

thanks for looking,  see you next week.