Kew - it's Orchid time!

 Hi, as promised it's orchid time again - this year's country featured is Madagascar.  

I wasn't first in the queue this week as the orchid festival is very popular and I had my now customary coffee and croissant at the cafe close to the station first.  

Once I did get to the gates, I was chatting to a lovely couple over from Belfast and was pleased later to see them again and they'd been able to get walk up time slot to see the orchids.

I did manage my normal opening shot before heading to the Princess of Wales conservatory... Enjoy the orchids!

the displays start as soon as you go through the main entrance

I didn't pause to take pictures of the information boards today will do so next time! 

I was swapping between lenses all the time as here is no easy way to double back on your route 

as always the team who puts the displays together had been having fun with the wildlife of the chosen country.   There were lots of lemurs

so cute!

this was the big bird I'd taken sneak peak pictures through the outside last time.

and a couple on the phone - I thought I had taken more on the camera

and another lemur

into the main part of the POW - lens misting up of course 

this is taken down the steps by the side of the pond, closer access was denied

the main feature in the pond  from a slight side angle 

a bat (I think) flying in front of the main feature 

you have to keep your eyes peeled for "critters" everywhere !

a willow animal by the edge of the pond

a snake winding round the display

on the other side of the pond, by the steps to the upper level (also access denied, no upper displays again this year) we came to several chameleons....

there were some small ones too!  

closing in on the back of one 

they were almost as much fun as the lemurs!

then some close ups in hanging baskets and tubs

there were the usual arches here and there - this one across the next set of steps to the upper level 

part of one of the uprights on an arch

the ferny bit between 2 zones in the POW   no hiding animals in here this year

then another pillar

tubs of orchids 

  this is another arch just before you go through to the cool orchid room

the sign by this asked if you could see a giraffe small enough to fit on a leaf (from the photo it must be some kind of bug. I did take a photo of that sign but it's blurry, will do again next week!

high on the wall by the entrance to the cool orchid room -  a colourful butterfly

lots of people seemed to be going by without looking 

one on the phone 

I didn't have the macro lens on at this point

another arch, in the cool orchid room

I didn't really want the flash!

more wildlife,  a giant moth (I assume, given the duller colours )

it's hard to remember to look rather than just take pictures...

when I got to in front of it  

in the next room 

then into the area where they have the titan arun lily (except during orchid time)

another HUGE butterfly, swaying gently on it's wires 

you get a better view in a second....

only I seem only to have taken one on the phone!

more pillars (these were the giraffes last year)

more lemurs  (at least I think they're all lemurs)

on the other side of the path in the small pond

these were high up and the light angle wasn't good

the final few arches as you head towards the cool desert bit of the POW and the exit....

this white one was lovely

it was impossible not to get people in the way

then there was a pinky red one, equally lovely

from the other side before I went into the arid area

this is the part of the arid area they're redeveloping, now I see why they've left it unplanted until now.

FYI I only saw 2 but I bet I missed some

the first one was easy, right by the sign

this bit shows the work Kew are doing in Madagascar

the second one I saw! 

looking back along the display

then into the room that is the exit - once again the exit this year is what is normally a fire escape 

final hanging basket before heading outside

I really enjoyed this year's exhibit, especially the fun lemurs and the chameleons but the orchids themselves are great too!  

I went along the path towards the hive

blossom coming out now on lots of things.

this is viburnum

and fluffy pussy willow

back on the Broad Walk

the hellebores have recovered 

bedding in front of the palm house as I went by

lichen covered ash tree 

crocus are starting to flower all over the place now

at the lake,   

more fluffy willow, this one is a musk willow apparently

it was very pretty and makes me feel spring is coming

there was someone along the other side of the lake further along attracting the wild birds today!

as I crossed the lake crossing this gull sat patiently waiting for me 

but I missed him squawking! 

from further away I thought this was another willow but as I went down the bank to check it was totally different, the label has Alnus firma as it's name 

heading ny the Treetop walkway

large drift of snowdrops under trees

the planted area (there are daffodils and crocus in this bit too) is roped off so people don't trample them, so no close ups!

into the Davies exploration house opposite the Temperate House

my lovely silver daisy bush flowers are opening well 

didn't have to stand on the wall yet

into the Temperate House from the halfway point

I was surprised - though probably shouldn't have been - to see lots of the daffodils in the tubs have opened since last week 

the scent was delicious

time to crouch down

I walked round the viewing platform 

looking down below  

from the steps down 

tendrils - hanging over the steps as you descend

the flash insisted on firing!

the tamarillo tree tomatoes are ripening. 

my favourites! African Hemp

erica

the blurry bit at the bottom is a leaf I couldn't keep out of the way

almost looked like blue sky (it wasn't!)

I was feeling peckish so headed to the Pavilion restaurant for a loo break and food but they've tweaked the menu and there aren't snacky things like cakes now so left again

instead walked across past the gallery outside which is the latest International Garden Photographer of the \year winners (some excellent pictures)

before gong to the Winter Garden

which was gorgeous again

crouching down to get the yellowy white hellebores at the foot of the slope

winter aconite

deep purple hellebores

snowdrops (I realised at this point I'd not been to the alpine house or rock garden after coming out of the POW  - next week!) 

daphne -  I leant over to check for the scent this week, and it was lovely!  

bright dogwood

down the slope to the helloebores 

bit blurry,  drifts of snowdrops, couldn't see what the dark leaves were 

witch hazel at the top of the slope

close up of the stem of the dogwood -  lovely

skimmia (my dad used to grow this) 

down low for another hellebore

edgworthia - there was a big yellow variety too but I blurred that one

I walked back to the exit down Camellia Walk without pausing for photos,

in the cafe I was going to eat, but it was mid-day and a decent length queue so left it

and headed home instead

thanks for looking - see you next week!