Kew and the orchids - week 3

  Time to head back to Kew. 

I've just managed to post this to the wrong blog  so am doing a speedy re-do! (put it on stampingbyh by mistake, about to delete that one) 

A surprise too as Kim was able to make it too.  It's been a long time (October) but she's managing on one crutch now so a hand free for photography...

we took it slow and steady

"big bird" 

even on wide angle, I couldn't get the full display in the pond in view 

we were both having misting problems 

close up of the chameleon tail

love the deep purple ones 

as you walk through from the tropical section through the ferny corridor this rhododendron was magnificent

the aye-aye is just next to them 

then some tubs of orchids in what is normally towards the other exit (but currently closed off for the one-way route through) 

the arch at the doorway to the next room

the plants in the arches are growing during the weeks...

the big butterfly

not sure he looks that graceful!

we were both taking surreptitious shots..

but I spotted her taking this one!

the arches - very popular so we couldn't wait for them to clear of people

the camera has trouble reading yellows, this one is fairly accurate 

in the desert section now near the finish

this time I swapped to the phone for speed

we headed to the Alpine House

past a cut back grass garden 

these are so teeny

so are these

aloe in the rock garden

blossom starting... over the entrance to the evolution/veg garden

delicious scent on this edgworthia

daffodils.... spring! 

and lots of crocus again

witch hazel near the pond

strange bark on a tree 

the "weeping" cherry tree is budding 

heading down camellia walk

winter garden - full of colour and lots of hellebores

more edgworthia

crocus on the way to the Temperate House

in the temperate house

we came across a load of beautiful funghi behind the weaterfall bit near the tree ferns

blogger starting to reverse orders...  can't be faffed to  change it,, never mind!

the big yellow daffodils looked as if they were going over from a distance but close up they look fine still

my absolute favourite that last week I said I'd always called silver daisy bush, from it's days in the main temperate house, but that label stayed there and this is called 

coronidium elatum (everlasting daisy)  so I must have been mistaken all these years

I clambered onto the little wall edging the bed 

it's so nice to have Kim back!!

out last stop was the lake as Kim had been missing the wild birds

we sat on the bench Peter feeds them from, he'd been there before by the signs of leftover food on the ground

looking across the island to the crossing

this gull flew across my line of sight too fast for me

That's it for today,  when I got home Kim said we'd walked 9000 steps (4 miles)  - we often do more, but pretty impressive on her one good leg!

thanks for looking, see you next week. 

I was a bit rushed re-doing this version so there's less commentary!!