Kew - orchids week 4

 I am making sure I am writing this on the correct blog this week... 

I got to the gates before Kim (just) this week and was talking to a couple who'd come up (down?) from Lincolnshire this morning hoping to get some "on the gate" orchid tickets - hope you got some and enjoyed your day at Kew -  and found this post too!  

it was cold - but for once, sunny, and look BLUE sky!  

I dashed to the Palm House to take the regular opening blog shot whilst Kim made her way straight to the queue for the orchids

there'd been a hard frost but it was already melting on the plants in the beds 

shame really, whilst I love rain drops (as you know) frost makes great shots too... but as we can't get in till 10, wet plants it is!

From here it was a mere skip to catch up with Kim and get in through the bag search at the entrance

there were lots of young children enjoying the lemurs

took this from the wrong side, so the back lighting has obliterated the lemur... next week will try again (it's the last week already,. next week.. how fast has that gone!)

but it was lovely with the sun shining through the windows illuminating the orchids 

I pointed this one out to a lady and her toddler as they were in danger of missing it 

"big bird" - just a head shot this week

this is either an early Easter Cactus or a late Christmas cactus... or perhaps a different variety altogether,. anyhow it's just inside the tropical bit of the POW

some of the pond exhibits

wall of orchids and air plants as a backdrop

the sun through the windows was creating fabulous reflections in the pond this week 

one of the pillars at the back of the pond

another lemur on the main pond exhibit tree 

I know you saw them before, but they'll be gone soon..

and the snake, I love him, (definitely preferable to real ones)

at the back of the path along the pond I noticed a single jade vine flower hanging - I dare say there'll be lots more soon.

more birds on a branch in the pond

one of the chameleons 

the teeny baby.  so cute.

these are the flowers that make up the "body" of the biggest  chameleon in the pond the other side of the steps

orchids at the front of the second pond

side on view of a chameleon (I can't believe how many of you Wednesday deskers thought I was talking about REAL chameleons the first week....

switching to macro 

into the corridor where the aye aye is

his toes are so cute!

alongside the aye aye is a big tree fern -  the new ferns are growing well 

I thought Kim was photographing the big rhododendron on the corner but no....

the blue cloth I am clutching is the camera cloth to clear the lens... it was hot inside the POW this week so I'd taken off my scarf that I sometimes make do with!  

you can see that the path turns to the right just behind me.. it leads through to 

the path that leads to the other exit (as you know, closed off for the duration of the orchids) 

this is the archway just inside the door

and another tub full of orchids by the side

on the arch -  one of the upright sections.

love this purple- the leaves are so soft

I'm sure Mum had one of these as a houseplant years ago.

more close ups on the arch

tubs as we round the next corner

we both love the browny-tinge of this one

they often keep the tubs after the festival is cleared away

this is quite yellow in the flesh, it looks a little green here...

the next arch near the door that goes through to the cool orchid room

these have really developed during the festival, they were quite closed to begin with

hanging from the top of the arch  - again, the backlighting is wrong but there were too many people to backtrack and take it from the other side

part of the big "butterfly" by the tunnel

I couldn't be faffed to change lens this week to get it all in - you'll have to check back a few posts if you want!

another fern unfurling 

top of the arch in the cool orchid room

part of the big moth display

slipper orchid (about the only one I can name!)

on top of the arch in the next orchid room

the "abdomen" of the butterfly in the next room

love his eyes!

(phone)

I shall miss this display, it's been so well crafted

close up of orchids on the pillar that looks like a baobab tree

there was a small girl "encouraging" her younger brother (tipping his head up to see the lemur above him)  obviously repeating what her parents had said to her before "look up" 

from the other side, the back of the lemur

they use all sorts to make the creatures in the display

another tub in the small bit of water on the right 

you can't walk down the side of this bit of the display, which is a shame

there are 3 arches close together as you leave this part of the display,  this is the top of the white one

I really should have changed lens..

I tried to capture the uprights on this photo

so we'll just do close ups!

at last the lemony yellow ones are looking yellow - must be the effect of the sun outside helping the light 

pink ones on the other side 

into the desert/cactus part of the POW where the Madagascar field display is

huge variety of euphorbia 

plant at the back of the display

these grow under the euphorbia and look as if they are part of it (but they're not) 

we left the POW and headed through the Rock Garden to the alpine house 

I was obviously just ahead of Kim.... 

these pretty, pale blue flowers in the rock garden caught my eye

not sure which label referred to them though so they shall remain nameless

a bit further on a melting drop of frost... 

and some wet leaves 

obviously you can't clamber over the rocks themselves to get closer... 

in the alpine house now

this climber is gorgeous

there were some lovely pots of fritillaries on a bench in the far doorway but they all came out fuzzy..

whilst we were in the alpine house we met Lynda, another regular member who said she'd been over to the magnolias which were coming out - but very muddy...

path of crocus under a tree near the "back door" of the POW

magnolias opposite the Hive

trying to get the blue sky behind them

we decided to chance the magnolias - we'd have to be careful for Kim in the mud and her crutch...

as we crossed the Broad Walk we paused for these small daffodils - more water drops! 

Kim was round the other side laughing at me trying to get up from the daffodils

as you take the path that leads from the Broad Walk you come across some advance magnolias...

these pink ones were gorgeous

the sky was a little grey at this point, which is a shame

I honestly wasn't leaving Kim behind on purpose... I was testing the mud, honest!

it was really too muddy to get too close to most of them as the ground underfoot is badly trampled at the first sight of magnolias out in bloom, and it always seems to rain lots when they're about to flower 

we abandoned them for today and headed off 

lots of new growth on trees,,, 

really fresh and vibrant

as we walked past the Treetop Walkway the blue sky was back... partly

we went into see what I mustn't call silver daisy bush now 

everlasting daisies

they were opening out from last week

I took lots....

but didn't climb on the wall this week

this is some of them...

from the front, side on, the sun was catching them

she's at it again 

so was I ! 

it was Kim who spotted the webs on this 

(the plant with the red flowers)

on the other side of the house we saw this odd growth on the trunk of a tree

into the Temperate House now

a different patch of red funghi

and near the steps to the viewing platform I saw another one of these

you can see why it looks as if it should be called silver daisy bush! it's leaves are very silvery

the steps to the viewing platform from a different angle

the red funghi we'd seen last week was still there, but starting to decay

round the corner was this teeny flowered plant

and in a tub by the main door

some narcissus

by the steps down from the platform, the tall yellow flowers are turning white and fluffy

salvia at the end of the path

more tubs of daffodils and narcissus in the connecting octogan spaces

and the african hemp in the far section - doesn't seem to have lasted as long this season.. Kim thinks it may have a second flush later 

the Bird of Paradise had conveniently flopped over the path 

front view down it's "beak" 

big aloe in the bed by the door

we headed back through to the other end

these leaves felt like satin ribbon!

more tubs of bulbs

the tree tomatoes 

Kim told me to stop....

she was playing match Helen's hair to the palnts again

from there we carried on through the TH  -  next connecting octogan, more daffodils

heading to the exit now

as we left I nearly made Kim fall down the steps telling her to look at the tulips coming through in Cherry Walk ; that wouldn't have been good!

they're growing well though - won't be that long before this is a riot of colour 

we headed to the exit 

another patch of crocus 

bit cloudy now...

loved these stripy white and purple ones

and in the sun at the exit, a quick euphorbia 

glowing in the sun.

Thanks again for looking, see you next week for the last of the orchid display