Kew in warm sunshine!

 What a difference a week makes..

bright blue skies and wispy clouds..  it was still a bit fresh first thing but warmed up!

the goose creche was enjoying the warm path outside the Palm House 

middle bed in the Palm House

the goose looked like he was trying to dig up the sculpture..

nice shadows!

across the pond, nice reflections

the really tall alliums are opening in the round bed at the top of the Broad Walk

some are leaning over a bit close to the lens!

but the ones still upright tower over my head

then down the Broad Walk 

sun through grasses 

it's a favourite time of year for me on the Broad Walk with all the colour, even though the alliums are over

yukka - they survive quite well outside

there are some small flowered later alliums out though

the asters are starting to flower too 

large allium seedheads

gaura (I think) in the sun

the eryngium glistened in the sun

verbena against blue sky

the Orangery glowing white in the sunshine,  

mountain gum (eucalyptus) flowers 

cornflower in the wild bed

the student plots weren't unlocked, so peeked over the gate to see the sunflowers

the wild bed is starting to fade already, still lots of poppies though

waterdrops on a gingko

and I don't know what this is, 

but it's the flower that looks paint-splattered as it develops

still lots of roses along the pergola through the evolution garden

sweet peas

Kim in action.. handily placed benches to lean the camera on

the water drops had made the petals fold in on themselves

my favourite part of the evolution garden is springing into flower 

(the drops are from the automated watering system not rain)

teasels too! 

I love helenium 

shadows and drops

gorgeous dark purple-burgundy clematis

the beds full of those lovely yellow daisy like flowers

companion planting in the veg garden

the sweet peas round the edge are so fragrant

can't wait for the agapanthas to fully open

in the rock garden

the aloe still flowering

cook shadow from it

and from the other side!

alpine house,  sempervivium

the patterns/colour on the sempervivium stem was gorgeous

Kim spotted this symmetrical pattern 

it's nestling in the corner of some rocks in the alpine house

outside again back through the rock garden

flowering cactus outside the Princess of Wales conservatory

agave

waterlily in the little rill that rounds round the POW (at this end)

we decided to have 10am snacks at the Orangery for a change - we had to wait for them to open 

they've got extra seating outside (could do with some more umbrellas for shade) 

this young jackdaw wanted our carrot cake...

then decided to sunbathe instead

I had come dressed for summer, about time too you say! 

I really love that skirt, it would be 100% perfect - if it had pockets!!

whilst we'd been eating Kim had seen this pop of purple so we went to check it out..

the one on the left is a smoke tree, I think the one on the right is berberis 

the Hive nestling to the right of the purple 

the light pink (fades to white) wispy stuff) gives it it's name

the water feature in the secluded garden,  water turned off,  never got such good photos of this since the day when the water froze over it one cold day!

into the Princess of Wales now 

love the contrast between underneath and the  top of the lily pad 

by the main pond they'd cut open a waterlily (after it finished flowering obviously)

the humidity in the rainforest/tropical section was too intense so we pushed on through to the cooler desert section 

and found some flowering cactus

couple from phone 

this was flowering too 

i was just thinking blogger has behaved so far and not swapped orders....

this is in the new bed they're replanting in the desert sectin

back a bit, some more flowers to come (we'll miss them!)

these pink ones are behind glass so tricky to get to well 

opposite the first white flowering cactus

this is just inside the POW at the cacti end.

hopefully will still be "doing something" next week...

but possibly we'll miss it

we headed outside to the relative cool !

under a bit of shade to cross the Broad Walk 

and into the steamy waterlily house!

didn't hang about long in there either ! 

lotus flower in the entrance

love the shape of this opening waterlily

and this one emerging from the water 

seen from the side 

then it was to the lake

as we crossed the lake the swans were swimming towards us...

all in a row!

they swam under the crossing

and out the other side

where they had a splash and a stretch 

then into the davies  exploration house and the strawflowers

then round the Temperate house (backwards in my photo order!)

banana

then to the Marc Quinn sculptures outside 

and then to the one at the Victoria Gate

I wasn't sure I could get the "wibbly leg" effect in a skirt but you can...

Kim telling me to lean in closer..

Who dat in der?! 

wave!  

such a fun way to end the visit!

thanks for looking, see you next week (forecast at the moment for next week is... light rain... let's hope it changes)