Kew - in October

 A warm October weekend... and a 9 am entry (two members who arrived a bit after I did to wait hadn't realised  they couldn't get in till 9)   

big shadows,  but you can see they've started to re-plant the bedding outside the Palm House

a cheat again...

peaking through the gates waiting to get in -   

the leaves on the vine at the gate are beautiful

I went the other way round the pond today first thing

before heading back to the Broad Walk 

I'm not sure what these tall plants are behind the euphorbia

but some of them (as I saw last week) are growing through the ephorbia

no raindrops this week :(

fluffy seedhead of the kardoon

verbena

large drift of these (small asters?) along the path towards the Hive

were loving the sun

I doubled back to carry on down the Broad Walk though

no signs of little snails this week 

headed round past the Orangery;  the sun was bright through the leaves

monkey puzzle

heading further along the path towards the grass garden

just for all you cat lovers!

never seen this cat at Kew before, it was well collared and tagged, must be a new resident!

fluffy bearded clematis growing up a wall

grasses in the grass garden

fluffy bulrush 

shame you can't see the movement as they sway in the breeze

student plots emptied for winter

large sunflower at the gate of the veg garden, drooping over, has been feasted on by insects and birds 

they were looking good in the sun though

oops, it's a bit blurry

the wider angle on the phone gives a good idea of the size

fab, against the blue sky

I was saying to Sarah on FB that the physalis is covered this year

never seen it with so many flowers (fruit?)

there was one laying on the ground

was able to get a bit lower with the phone, these were nearly on the ground

fennel

at the corners of the little square were the dahlias I showed you last week are

solidago

I love the asters

still a few helenium that haven't gone to seed

a little way along the path through the evolution garden,

as I moved round to get a better shot of the bee, it flew away

heading back round to the Palm House

you know I love the sun through leaves

autumn crocus

 

giant gunnera living up to it's name

weeping willow framing the palm house

I popped my head inside the cafe, but decided not to delay for food or drink,

and carried on my way past this

quite a lot more colour than last week 

I took the route to the Temperate House along Camellia Walk (they're on the left of the path,

the trees are on the right

these berries were so pretty

big acer at the end of Camellia Walk,

must remember to get close ups of the leaves next week, they are always beautiful in autumn

walked past the trees in front of the art gallery

don't think there#s a new exhibition on in there yet, must check!

gorgeous colours on the trees though

looking down to the Palm House

headed into the Temperate House

it was just 10,  although for the Queer Nature event it was open from 9  (they appear to have been able to open the doors this week!)

 

I trted to look out for the information boards about the event.

under these hangings in the middle octagon are the videos playing films about the human "queer nature" as opposed to the plant versions dotted around the rest of the TH

the link I posted last week to the Kew website has lots more information

I adored the light through these deep purple coleus on the window ledge

through the doorway into the main part of the TH  the scent from this hit me - it was beautiful.

I had to look at the central work in the middle

it's by Jeffrey Gibson (I didn't photograph the board again about it this week.

it is my favourite work in here.

the doors at the sides of the TH were open and the soft material was fluttering in the breeze

into the further octagon now

I didn't have the right lens on for a view of the whole room (check back to last week) 

some close ups of the trees in the exhibit

I couldn't see a label on this tree but it has some strange fruit

outside now,  lichen on the cherry trees

rowan berries

the pine trees are smothered this year 

leaves on the liquidamber trees are starting to turn

near the Japanese Garden

I've just realised I forgot again to go to the Pavilion cafe to check out those beautiful blue/purple berries on the vines .... 

fatsia (I think)

see what I mean about the pines!  

so many cones

at the lake - far end 

I sat on a bench and ate a Caramel wafer bar and removed a layer of clothing..!  

before heading on round the lake

the red of these leaves doesn't show true in this..

but you got a better view of the tree further along

crossing the lake

on the other side of the lake I saw the "squirrel man" Dave, standing by a huge sweet chestnut tree.  

He had been watching the tree as the 4 babies were there - he's since posted some gorgeous photos to the Facebook group  (which he showed me at the time) of the mum Snowdrop cuddling them on the branch

this is the male baby, Chestnut, 

eating the nuts he'd been fed by Dave

heading on  my way now,

back towards the Rose Garden

more gorgeous colours

crossing the rose garden, there is a late flush of colour on quite a few of the varieties

I went into the Palm house 

had a lot of fogging issues! 

great shapes though

and patterns

remember in the Temperate House earlier this year they had a false banana  - Erneste - in flower?

Well I found one in the Palm house too.   Really had problems with the fogging.... should have got the phone out! 

will try and remember to go back next week

off to the waterlily house next

gourds in the outer bit

looks like there are more to come in the middle - 

in the beds outside the waterlily house

I had to kneel down!  

more berries 

tree fern between the waterlily house and Palm house

it tends to survive outside in winter

the sun was shining through it - should have moved back a bit further

into the Princess of Wales -   perlagonium leaves in the entrance

not many flowering today

quick walk through - it was mighty warm inside

not sure if this waterlily is coming or going - don't remember it from last week, so coming, maybe!

couldn't smell it across the water!  they still fascinate me 

up the steps to the upper level

under it's big leaves...

the end of the flowering spike makes me think of an animal's paw....

at the bottom of the other steps down to the orchid rooms

I always love the light on these

base of some orchids

in the next orchid room

the girl who I've seen painting them was there again 

I stopped to chat, and said how good her painting was 

as I left I snuck a photo...

I love how she has her canvas on a hanging round her neck

there is only one flower left on this now

outside the alpine house,

there were bees all over them!

something new in the alpine house by the door

with yellow flowers

something diddy!  

nerines

salvia border along the rock garden

just beautiful

before I left I went and had a closer look at the new planting outside the Palm House

pansies for the main 

and edged with something grey and drought tolerant

thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed today' s trip.

see you next week