Kew - the first day of summer

 and it was freezing!  

there was a bit of blue sky but it was deceiving...

I had brought the globe lens again as I thought some of the Marc Quinn pieces would look good inverted

closer in...

in the round bed at the end of the Broad Walk are these - I think they must be alliums of some kind judging by the greenery down below which are very onion like - they were curving in the wind 

(you can see some of them in the photo above)

you can see how grey the sky was really

luckily it didn't rain 

we took a breezy walk down the Broad Walk - I was in a fleece so was relatively ok but Kim was chilly!

the reddish buds are lilies that will be out soon, growing in amongst the euphorbia

the sun was coming and going 

love these beautiful leaves

this bee was very still, I think it was asleep

the alliums at the further end of the Broad Walk being a bit later, are still in full colour

monkey puzzle tree, 

I love the shapes of the branches

more snoozy bees

alpine house in the distance across the grass garden

lots of foxgloves this year 

as we got round to the student plots the wildflower bed has erupted

blogger is reversing order now dammit

in the evolution garden

Kim was back to candid shots today

I can't get it to load in the right place though

there were a couple of poppies that looked as if they'd been damaged by rain or something

looking along the evolution garden to the temple

the irises are fabulous this year

lavender in the rock garden 

then the daisies - playing with the globe lens again 

lens again 

the alpine house was already open 

flowering sempervivium

geum outside again 

we decided to go to the hive for the first time in ages, the meadow leading up to it was mostly grasses, 

but we had fun in the hive

and the lens came out again

it has to be done!

looking down, reflections and feet!  

and we took some paneramic shots too 

coming back down from the hive

pausing for a bug in a daisy

we headed to the lake where we found Peter feeding the geese - and the fox (this is Sebastian apparently) 

the young Egyptian geese are all grown up!  

there was a bit of sun as we crossed the lake

walking towards the treetop walkway

couldn't get close to these, on a bank near the treetop walkway

we got tot he davies exploration house opposite the temperate house just at 10 as they unlocked

the strawflowers are coming back in the DEH but blogger shares them out of order

I took lots but they blurred

my favourites that may or may not be the silver daisy bush

in the Temperate house

we dipped out a side door across the grass past some of the sculptures

heading for breakfast (around 10.30 now)

it was just about warm enough to sit outside but I did have hot chocolate (although it wasn't very hot!) 

tree canopy

I like this view toward the Temperate House  (it's where you get good puddles in the rain)

the sculpture outside the gallery is very well camouflaged by the tree reflections 

so from a distance you can't see it

more candids from Kim

now you see her 

now you don't

bracts on a tree along camellia walk 

sculpture by the victoria gate entrance

ooh errr.    

wibbly wobbly legs!

lotus flower in the waterlily house

there were lots of waterlilies (in the wrong order but blogger is fighting with me today so I am leaving them as is)

I seem to have struggled with this group which was fabulous, the lens was misting badly I'n blaming that! 

aeoniums outside

fountain almost sparkling but of course by the time we got back there later the sun had gone again

planting outside the POW 

outside cacti (in the shelter of the building)

inside

carnivorous

upper level  - at last some of these have flowered overhanging the path so you can photograph them better without backlighting problems

it's ceertainly tall! 

went to check on "stinky"

they've put the growth chart out, so I bet we'll miss it opening during the week!

orchid room

big tub with bird of paradise outside the other exit

top of rock garden - aquilegia

closed tight in the gloom day but a bright spread!

I took inspiration from Virginia (Rocking Your World Friday blog that I follow)  looking into an aquilegia -  so pretty

had to snap the daisies on our way out

webbing on the branches of this shrub

see, no sun!  we both said that if it weren't for the green hedge you'd think it a black and white photo

giant gunnera living up to their name

the spray on the fountain was splashing out a long way

thanks for looking - maybe next week will feel more like summer!