Kew- Easter Saturday

 The day dawned sunny, luckily for the runners taking part in the half-yearly RunFest at Kew (10k run today)  this morning and luckily opening wasn't being delayed from 10.  

there was wild rain and strong winds earlier this week (so much that on Wednesday Kew had to close early) 

Kim and I wondered how many of the cherry trees had lost their blossoms...

we headed round to the back of the Palm House and the rose garden,

where yes, the Yoshino cherry trees had lost lots of their blooms sadly.

but still some left 

we headed back past the other end of the Palm House

round bed at the top of the Broad Walk

blossom on the trees between Broad Walk and POW 

sunny daffodils down the Broad Walk

euphorbia

the tulips along the Broad Walk are flowering

to our left was the marshalls post for the 10k run- music was blaring and announcements being made, the last few runners were finishing the race.

we were heading for the blue flowers just behind the marshalls

the Glory of the Snow.  we forgot last week.

I did my laying down thing (good job the runners were no longer in the way)

lots of white daisies in amongst the blue.

Kim got me in action 

back to camera 

we cut past the massage table to rejoin the path

another beautiful yellow magnolia 

and then to the magnolia glade, where most of the biggest pink and white varieties have nearly finished,

this one by the path is still good,

and plenty of cherry trees (although again, lots of varieties have lost blossom here in the wind and rain too)

the sun was so bright I couldn't tell from the screen on the camera what the photos were looking like...

the big yellow magnolia in the glade is opening out now

we weren't too keen on the grey clouds -  but they did go away!

I was hoping for the "frame" opportunity of the cherry trees and the azalea behind.

blow me, but a couple arrive just ahead of us

this time they didn't hang around so long

I had the wrong lens on really, but it was too muddy underfoot to put the rucksack down to change it

me in action 

Kim in action

the small rhododendrons in the beds just beyond the cherry trees are starting to flower so we must check the rhododendron dell  soon 

behind us the blue was re-appearing in the sky

near the path some pretty lemon yellow blossom

we headed for the lake 

the irises in the water's edge are growing, and shining in the sun

lots of people around from the run, they get to bring guests in and stay after the race 

good reflections 

looks better on the phone!

crossing the lake 

as we'd walked along the bank we had see in the water the Egyptian Geese with their 3 babies... they were heading for the other side 

and when we got round there, they were out of the water pecking at the grass

they let us get quite close,  so cute!!

they walked towards us

there were loads of squirrels around - no sign of Dave who feeds and videos them (he was there yesterday, that's how I'd know about the baby geese)

we headed into the Davies Exploration house for "my" daisies... which were gorgeous. 

I stood on the wall this week 

to see into the higher blooms, as they plant is growing very tall!

love the silvery grey stems of this, with the pale purple flowers , next to the daisies

I couldn't see the name of this.  

we crossed to the main Temperate House - this cherry tree on the opposite corner we admired last week was still covered

palms

the leaves of this were so pretty on the underside.  we aren't allowed to walk down beside it, it's for staff only

this is it's flower 

we were walking round the Temperate House in a different order this time..

the rhododendrons towards the far end (nearest the tulips) had been watered 

I took a photo from the doorway - the cherry trees are coming into bloom, slowly, and the white tulips too.

for now, we carried back round the TH

tubs of various things in the further octagon 

the African hemp nearly is finished now 

we headed out of the TH to the north end

the blossom on these trees were much further advanced than the other side of Cherry Walk 

a huge bumble bee was having a great time

the look so good against the blue sky

it was busy as you can see!

it was more than time for a cup of tea - we went to the Pavilion restaurant and had china cups and sunshine!  

they do meals rather than cakey stuff so I had a chocolate wafer bar I'd brought with me!

From there we headed for the Japanese garden

this is a huge tree 

Pieris at the Japanese garden

the gravel was looking neat

the cherry trees here weren't as far out as elsewhere 

we walked back to the tulips in Cherry Walk outside the TH

at first sight it looked as if they've only planted white ones this year

well, creamy white/green..

but on looking closer there were some darker coloured ones too 

the white ones are earlier that's all!

and as you can see, the cherry trees are starting to flower more

the ivy at the end of the path 

as you exit the Mediterranean garden you get to more cherry trees (the path that least tot he Palm House

this is another of their Blossom Hotspots with music (by the time we got there, about 12.30, it was live music here)

and someone was obviously doing a photo shoot... I snatched a photo as I went past

the cherries leading back to the Palm House 

as we got back to the Palm House there were loads of people enjoying the sun on the benches

I was enjoying the daffodils again

we cut across to the POW - these are the cherry trees between the Broad Walk and POW we saw earlier

from the front of the POW looking back at the Palm House

it was hot in there, so we didn't hang about

carnivorous room was a bit cooler

jade vine has nearly finished

outside,  cones on the pine tree,  a loganberry-raspberry sort of colour!

alpine house

tulips

the aloe "tortoise"

scilla, cuban lily coming into flower

in the rock garden, snake's head fritillary

some early peonies

evolution garden, drift of tulips 

pasque flowers - I had just said to Kim that we must check the top path along the rock garden soon for the larger drifts of these along the path.

they'll be beautiful soon

not sure what this is, but new life in the sunshine!

and finally a red tulip at the exit on our way home,

thanks for looking - next week we get to go in at 9 for a couple of weeks so it'll be a slightly earlier start

No dramas on the way home, with trains, luckily.