Back to Kew

 As I have this week off, it seemed right to start at Kew... early.  Got to make the most of the 8am starts before they end for another season. 

look at the difference in the colour of the sky from Saturday - and the temperature too,  it was quite a lot cooler today,  just about t-shirt weather though

started along the Broad Walk 

I was trying to catch the bees!

I love the rusty orange the rudbeckia are turning 

the spiders webs were still all over the monkey puzzle, but the lack of sun meant they didn't show up on camera and we* didn't notice any spiders 

(*we - Kim was there too, we are doing something together tomorrow, something different and she tacked today onto her day off for that)

big pink tree outside the Duke's garden, (main bed still empty waiting replanting.)

this was in a bed at the end of the grass garden

it's got a really long name but the variety is Red Cauli...  

sky still very grey and cloudy, but the weather app says 0% chance of rain.. which it didn't

bullrushes near the waterlily pond

the waterlily pond is sunken, this is looking across the grass garden 

bulrushes exploding into fluff!

in the student plots- through the fence, it was locked again (and remained so, we checked later). 

shame, inside, the sunflowers are amazing.  

leaf of a red grape vine

sunflowers along the vegetable garden  - these are as you know, also fabulous

you know I've become obsessed with the spiky new growth on the sunflowers

there are some really huge varieties

and a new flush of roses on some of the pergola

in the evolution garden next

the statue at the far end of the evolution garden

rose hips

these will be turning blue and purple soon, you may remember them from previous years

the trees are definitely turning autumnal, and lots of them are losing leaves, I imagine that is to do with the heat.  

we took a slightly different route towards the lake

through the bamboo garden

gorgeous reflections in the lake

lots of ducks, and loads of birds flying around, green parakeets, but they were too fast for the camera, and geese of course

headed across the lake and past the Treetop Walkway, lift closed for "essential maintenance" again....

the door to the Davies Exploration house was open 

the strawflowers are going to seed 

across the path, the Temperate House itself wasn't yet open, (just before 10)  but we found some small poppies at the far end at the top of the slope.

we have a bit of a running joke,  I get weighted down for my low shots by the rucksack and we always say,  I can't get up...

we headed along cherry walk 

and off the main path saw lots of different hips and berries 

and definitely trees turning colour

we decided to go and have tea and cake at the Pavilion cafe when they opened shortly, and whilst waiting walked round admiring the colours on the vines around the pergolas

some of their berries are already turning! 

and grapes ripening 

they go round the whole cafe, and the outside tables are set under the canopy of the leaves

one side turns quicker than the other 

the Temperate House, our next stop, just a few yards away

I got mine and went and nabbed a table.

(lots of choice obviously as it was dead on opening at 10

we both had carrot and walnut and a pot of tea.

the sun had just about come out.

whilst we'd been eating I'd seen this from the cafe (it was just the other side of the fence)

so afterwards we went to investigate

and then we saw this..  it was a bit breezy so the flowers kept blowing about

then we headed to the Temperate house - just a short walk away

I hadn't bothered coming in the TH on Saturday,

they are starting to move some things around from one of the octagons getting ready for a new autumn display at the end of the month 

It will be closed from the 18th till the event starts on 29th 

climbed up to the viewing platform

on the phone through the ironwork

looking down at the waterfall

at the far end you get a good view of this as you go down the stairs

this is actually round the corner from the stairs down - the 3 above are in the middle of the TH area

bloody blogger is doing it's reversing order again

rhododendron near the further end

in the other octagon, passionflowers still going strong

as we left and stood at the stop of the steps, I just managed to get these geese flying overhead

This is at the other end of cherry walk (the bit where the tulips grow)

the newly planted area 

swapping to phone is easier than changing lens on the camera!

I did my "I'm stuck I can't get up thing..."  

Kim said these leaves felt like a cat's tongue...

as we got back to the rose garden they were irrigating

and, round the edges, trimming the holly hedge 

we braved the heat of the waterlily house, 

hmm... the centre of this passionflower is focused ok

but the water drops on this photo are better...

it was really humid inside (they hadn't left the doors open today as it wasn't that hot outside) so it was a quick walk round the pond

before walking over to the Princess of Wales conservatory 

were we took a quick walk through

took the path under the upper level so you see the lilies at eye level...

there was someone working outside the door to the orchid room from this end so we didn't get to see them today (we could probably have got in from the side but decided not to)

so that's Kew on a "school day"  

Tomorrow will be a long day, there is a coach involved and the blog will probably be late evening or possibly not till Wednesday....  

See you soon, thanks for looking.