Kew

 Back to Saturday this week and some sunshine again.

the urns along the pondside just have begonias in,  crouching down to avoid sun-glare and for a good angle!)

not quite as gorgeous as in the brighter sun last week, but still gorgeous 

as we headed along the Broad Walk I noticed these leaves underneath some roses, I liked the shapes/patterns

the sun was really bright on these, but it doesn't really show! 

grasses in the sun

we cut to the back of the beds along the Broad Walk - what used to be towards the end of the Broad Walk, until they extended it this year

the drifts of echinacea and rudbeckia remain my favourite part of the Broad Walk at any time of year. 

and the large patches of helenium, too

monkey puzzle 

more grasses 

the echinops may be fading but there's plenty left for the bees to feast on

Princess of Wales,  sky was a bit grey! 

alpine house

the huge tree to the left was casting a nice shadow on the blinds

the student beds weren't open yet but the vegetable garden was accessible.

castor oil plant in the sun

clematis on the upright of the pergola

a few roses left 

companion planting in one of the vegetable beds, 

walking through the evolution garden

yikes, it must be nearly autumn,  physalis starting to fruit.  

it's a bit blurry, there were leaves in the way

then my favourite part of the evolution garden,  rudbeckias 

and asters

helenium

I like how the middle casts a shadow on it's petals

damn, it's putting these in reverse order..

no matter,  

gorgeous echinacea

kardoon at the far end of the evoluton garden

teasels

then crossed to the other side of the path and back up through the other half of the EG

rose hips

sedum

crocosmia

most of the agapanthas in the evolution garden are fading but this darker variety are still going

more grasses in the sun

shadows along the path

the acer in front of the POW  is really turning red (already) 

I match!

we crossed back across the middle of the Broad Walk

and were amazed to see that some of the magnolia trees had flowers on!

in the damp grass, a large mushroom

and just under the cap a smaller one

we walked through what used to be the azalea garden

but now has more acers - these will be gorgeous soon when the colours really change

some of them are starting... obviously going to be an early autumn

lots of "fluff" on thistles around

I don't remember taking this one, at the lake!

another regular, Peter, had just finished feeding the geese so most of them had left

we crossed the lake,  the swan and the cygnets were on the far side.  they've really grown loads lately

more "fluff"

we decided to head back tothe Victoria gate cafe for breakfast (it was 9.30) 

these are newly planted in the new garden at the end of Cherry Walk near the Temperate House (close to the Mediterranean garden)

we took a short cut across grass towards the cafe and came across this tree

I had a 2 course breakfast!  though the cheese and mushroom croissant seemed small today!

then we headed back past the palm house pond

and through the evolution garden (well along the path through it)

to the student plots which were now opened,

as we didn't want to miss the sunflowers two weeks running!

there were lots of bees

had to crop this photo as the sunflower itself was out of focus!

love the colours on this one

there were some huge beef tomatoes in the student plots (also in the main veg garden earlier)  these were starting to ripen

top of the rock garden near the alpine house

 inside the door of the alpine house

there wasn't masses in the alpine house today

looking through from the far door

round the side of the alpine house

"drippy" pine cones

wildflowers on the bank between alpine house and princess of wales

inside the princess of wales - went in the other end to usual today

ferns

waterlily pads in the little pond

and lots in the bigger pond

couldn't be bothered to change lens so used the phone to show how many!

in the cool orchid room - trumpet vines

the new "tree" (it's made from concrete) now well planted up

these had a really strong scent

then exiting via the dry section

there weren't many flowers on the cacti this week

these are at the entrance( or today it was the exit)

aeonium display outside

couldn't resist another photo of the red leaves on the tree outside the POW

or of course the fountain

thalictrum

gourd in the waterlily house

passionflower

couldn't resist these leaves again, but forgot to snap the label!

then along the path  round the rose garden,  

to the temperate house

we couldn't get closer to the strawflowers today as there was a big tub in front of the bed, with a large puddle in front of it

but got a few by leaning in

then into the Temeprate house propeer

stripes...

vertical stripes!

this is an aloe

patterns and shapes...

shiny!  

coming out of the Temperate House, in the last week they've cut back the grass under the cherry trees and tidied !

off to the left I noticed a tree with red on it..

round the corner we saw this

King William's Temple in the Meditteranean garden

more fluff" on the seeding echium

more "drippy" cones

as we passed the end of the Palm House I noticed that the giant hibiscus by the door was flowering

and then a closing full of people Palm House bed photo! 

thanks for looking as always,  see you next week.