Saturday, July 29, 2023

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.  

2 comments:

Celtic house said...

Oh another fab visit despite the damp weather you seem to have managed to dodge the rain drops for this visit.

Kew looking just as vibrant as always, the cacti were interesting, those with the flats flowers look like a paper crafter has tried to aid it by sticking some paper flowers on it, it did make me giggle.

The sausage roll sounds like a good idea on your midwalk break.

Hope you have a lovely Sunday and week ahead

Hugs

Kyla said...

Oooh lovely and the veg garden is open too, lucky you! Those pine cones look amazing.