Kew - Christmas Eve Eve

 The Saturday before Christmas and still the gifts to wrap, but it wasn't going to stop me going to Kew!

There was quite a queue at 10 waiting for the gates, so others obviously had the same idea.

once again the dogwood shone in the sparse sunshine

but it was nice to see some blue sky - it's been lacking the last few weeks on Saturdays

the low sun lit the pond sending plants into shadow

I strolled down the Broad Walk 

the discs on the robins were shimmering and twinkling in the breeze - I should have shot this on video not still....

heading round towards the Princess of Wales - signs of Spring! 

I walked along the side of the POW first 

heading past the glass "greenhouses"

to catch Snapper -  as I forgot to go and see him last week...

in the sun and getting closer than before, I noticed the patterns on his leaves

then into the POW  but blogger is reversing the photos... 

this fan shaped palm looks like a peacock tail

these were the orchids the artist was painting last week - this week she was back in the orchid room 

it was hot and steamy in the rainforest section but I managed to capture these water drops on the berries 

cocoa pods

sillhouetted leaves

in the dry section they are renewing some of the planting areas  so there are parts that are still empty (behind this agave)

will be interesting to see what comes 

round to the evolution garden 

little rose hips

there were still lots of physalis 

looking from the path that leads through to the rock garden

in the bed bordering the vegetable garden.  they look a bit like but aren't strawflowers  that I like in the temperate house

a lot more of the snowdrops under the acer in the rock garden have opened 

scilla in the alpine house,  love them even more in the sunshine 

these teeny flowers have ends that look almost flourescent in the light today

pretty little iris 

and teeny paperwhite narcissus

I was wandering around in a very disjointed fashion today.... 

as I walked past the closed waterlily house I went and had a look through the window to see how the winter cleaning is going -  still some pots of plants round the edge the far side

tall upright Cypress trees in the Mediterranean garden on my way to the Temperate House

Ivy   -  at the top of the steps by the path through Cherry Walk

into the Temperate House

aeonium

pummelo - the tree had lots of fruits on it 

this always makes me smile with it's wispy fluff

had to check the strawflowers

then it was towards the lake

via the bauble arches, of course 

they seem to have cut back a lot of trees on the side of the island in the lake

lots of birds on the water - to the left of this photo I could see Peter feeding them so headed round that way

pausing for some colour at the end of the lake crossing 

the adult swans were there, with one of the cygnets -  Peter thinks it must be a female as the male swan hasn't chased it away - so presumably the other 3 were male.

the sun on the water didn't really help! 

I walked back along the path towards the exit

stopping for cake and hot chocolate on my way

(spiced apple cake, yummy, although could take more spice)

Then it was home 

Thanks for looking.  

I wish you all a very happy Christmas and will  see you next week -  I may be able to get in a day out (weather permitting) before next weekend as I am not back at work till the 2nd January - so watch this space  (the Tower is calling me) .