Kew - the final 8am visit of the year

 September 30th - the final chance to visit Kew at 8am tll May... shame.  It's a great perk that the members love, we all wish it was a year-round thing.    Kim finally had her ankle pinned yesterday so hopefully will be able to get back to Kew soon...soonish anyway!

most of the parterre beds at the Palm House have been readied for over wintering now

the sun was just about rising above the trees/buildings as I walked along to create some shadows

it was quite fresh though!

the round beds at either end of the pond are still planted up

the rudbeckia in the bed at the top of the Broad Walk have gone, the middle planting is still there though

down the Broad Walk - slightly out of order, damn blogger

this should be the first one!

ok, back on track

sun through grasses, with the POW glinting in the background

agapanthas going to seed

towards the end of the Broad Walk on the left side

a clump of rudbeckia still flowering well

with other things intermingling

love the pop of red

then round the back of the bed in the damp grass

I found the little translucent snail again on an echinacea

it seems to really like the pink flowers!

wet hellenium

walking round towards the monkey puzzle.

still covered in webs!  no sign of spiders or prey in any of them

further along the path

the ends of the branches glistened in the light

lambs ears, soft and fluffy in the sun, damp with dew

looking towards the alpine house

bright red sedum

outside the alpine house in the rock garden

I saw our friends, regulars Patrick and Joyce along the path so went to tell them about Kim's injury, they don't live too far from her so have said they'll be happy to give her a lift when she's more mobile and can then use a wheelchair/mobility scooter to get round Kew.

Kim was thrilled to hear this!  

into the evolution garden

still lots of sunflowers in the border to the veg garden

I think I almost like the backs more than the fronts!

hydrangea

going to seed.  

had to check out the large patch of physalis -  it's covered in flowers this year

some are "skeletonising" faster than others

and there were all manner of creepie-crawlies on them today

I know the bug is blurry... 

yeugh!  

these are some of my favourites round this bed at present

rain drops.. (from overnight)  beautiful

I love the perspective on this one, the dahlias are in a square bed in the middle and there's a wide path round them that you can't see...

atthe end of the evolution garden I noticed a lady photographing these.

so pretty.  orchid-like.  couldn't see a label. I know I've seen them before though

reflections in the pond

Kim is always telling me the Palm House comes out wonky...

this is tilting the camera.

this one is not!

It must be an optical illusion...

vine at the entrance, with the sun now on them

checking for autumn colour --  yes, coming!  

this is always a beauty when it turns

heading towards the Temperate House

berkheya purpurea - finally remembered to record the name

now, I'm going to cheat a bit now.

I headed for the Temperate House to see the new event "Queer Nature" only the doors were all locked - it was meant to be opening at 9 for members.

I walked round to the front, where someone else was looking to get in - and a Kew staff person walking by saying something about a problem with the doors and to use a side door round the other side.. which we did.  but then a guide saw me (the man had disappeared) and said no, 10am  opens, come back.  I had taken some photos by then but will share them later when I could see the whole event...

so I headed for the lake 

where the reflections were stunning

by the bench where Kim often feeds the birds.

Peter, who also does this regularly was there with some other visitors 

from the new pathway they've created - towards the Lockerbie tree with the benches round

you get a good view of the lake 

the path from the other direction

(this is mainly for Kim who hasn't seen this yet I don't think)

I headed back toward the entrance for breakfast till I could get into the TH

pausing to watch these 2 squirrels chasing one another round and up and down the tree

I had the same as last week, cherry danish,  and hot chocolate.  I was trying to listen to the Ryder Cup coverage on the radio, but my earphones are playing up and I kept losing reception.  

the pastry is ok, nice flavour, but they must keep them in the fridge, and the pastry goes soggy..

they didn't have any sausage rolls ready though or I'd have had that.

Once I finished, I went straight back to the Temperate House

as I'd originally gone in a side door, I came to the south octagon first.

I'll have to photograph these individually next time you won't be able to read them!

this link takes you to Kew's website that tells you about "Queer Nature"  the exhibition

in the central bit of the Temperate House is this huge hanging.

it was here that I got "thrown out"

on my return I took some extras,  these are from the phone 

together with the poster about the creator

it's really beautiful, 

back to camera

it's so colourful, and I love the way it drapes

now when i came back for the proper walk through I came through the far end.. let's go back to there!

this is the north octagon

as I was walking through this time, the lady who had stopped me before walked by.  She stopped to apologise for not letting me stay before - because the doors hadn't been opened she had assumed it was still closed!

in the middle of these beautiful hangings is a seating area with films playing about the artists involved with the project.

I wil probably stop to watch another time 

hmm.  shadows in the way...

outside,  

I headed towards the Japanese garden 

where the colours are slowly turning

looking across the gravel area you can see it better

the air had warmed up now and I removed my hoodie,  

and headed back towards the lake - though I didn't cross it this time but walked more inland 

where I found lots of autumn crocus under trees

blogger is messing order again

reflections in the lake

as I walked under the trees I saw another regular, Dave,  he runs a Facebook site called Merlin the Magic Squirrel and friends and posts photos and videos of the squirrels 

towards the lake which starts just behind the reeds in the middle of the photo 

 

made my way back toward the Waterlily house

this pink was so vibrant

there was one of the newly discovered varieties of waterlily in flower,

I managed to zoom in further on my phone 

a slightly misty passionflower!

more berries - outside 

headed across the grass to get tot he Princess of Wales 

always have to stop here.

looks as if these might be about to flower..

this one has!

love the way these "babies" seem to grow out of the main cactus

there's one flowering in here too!

lily pads

a new tub has appeared next to the Titun arum (still in it;s leafy phase) -  Vanilla

orchid room 

the "curtain" of passionflower Kew Gardens that had one partly opened flower last week today has closed buds...

into the alpine house

I did check the label for this but forget... it's very pretty though

nerine

rock garden -- spiral aloe

bulrush, "fluffing"

and as I walked through the rock garden towards the exit, more autumn crocus

thanks so much for looking, see you next Saturday -  entry is 9am for the weekends of October to allow members to enjoy the Temperate House event early (let's hope they open the doors!)