Kew - no sun, but we did find Goldie

 We come to the end of August and there are just a few weeks left of members early opening (sad face)  left.

Today was dull but at least dry. 

it didn't appear that there were many reflections, but the pond at the Palm House still provided a few

there is also only a month left of the Marc Quinn sculptures, I will miss them and their great reflections - they never fail to disappoint

that's Kim - she was standing to my left!  

the planting in the urns may be past their best really but a low angle helps

we snuck behind the sculpture even though it's roped off.  shhh!!!  

it looks great from the back!  

bed at the top of the Broad Walk 

these beauties are starting to fade now, but in doing so have revealed the sign that says they are Marguerite daisies.

as Thursday was the 27th anniversary of my sister Margaret's death, it seemed appropriate to include them again today

then down the Broad Walk 

thinks are starting to fade, and there was a definite autumnal feel to the day (tomorrow being the first day of meteorological autumn)

but they still look good

these tiny daisy like flowers are all around the place, in the Broad Walk, near the hive, in the evolution garden.  Here they are most in flower 

there were a few bees out

we cut round the back of the border at the far end of the Broad Walk 

and on the same group of echinacea that we saw a teeny snail on last year, I saw one hiding under a petal - had to try and focus then turn the petal over and take the photo one-handed... luckily it was ok!

I still think it's really pretty

round by the outside waterlily pond

in the veg garden... the pumpkin's got lumps! 

having trouble with blogger, there may be some big gaps between the next few, I can't fix them sorry

 

although the student plots were locked we found some sunflowers 

evolution garden now

gorgeous pink!

towards the top of the EG near the rock garden,

this is come kind of aloe flowering (hesperaloe parviflora)

rock garden - yes, autumn is on the way!

I know this turns red very early (we've been watching it for weeks) but the side nearest the POW is very red now.  the other side is much greener still 

back at the Palm House 

we headed towards the lake.  this caught my eye as it seemed to be catching what light there was..

yep, definitely autumnal!  

we approached the lake and walked down one side, then crossed the lake and came back round to the bench where Peter often sits to feed them.

the swans had come down from the top of the lake towards us.

Kim had some food with her

we sat and watched - I had my long zoom on but it doesn't focus very close so after a bit I had to stand up and move back a bit

these are from the bench though

what appeared to be the biggest of the 5 cygnets sat right in front of our feet

Egyptian geese

the cygnets were scrapping with one another - teenagers! as Kim said 

this was were I  had moved so I could get them in shot better!

standing beside the bench

the food was attracting lots of pigeons !  

they decided they'd had enough and got back in the water - still scrapping!

we headed off again ourselves

to the top of the lake

where we did find some reflections

before heading to the woodland walk and the bird feeder area in search of Goldie - the golden pheasant - I've missed it a few times and been watching the films Dave (squirrel man) posts on FB this week with envy (Kim saw it too on Wednesday )

the great tits (checked the identification board)

are SO fast and don't like to pose like the robins will!

I'm including this because you can make out the blurring of their wings, it made me laugh.  the food is focussed though!!  

occasionally you push the shutter at just the right moment 

to our joy we had seen Goldie off to the left behind this bench, hiding in a tree.

eventually he jumped down and approached.  Cue more blurry photos as he moves fast too

bloody blogger has reversed all of these of Goldie.  

this is him disappearing over the other side of the path into more undergrowth

this was him emerging into view.

I wouldn't normally include so many blurry pics but the colours were stunning 

it was 10 now  so we decided to head for OUR breakfast!

heading past the golden rain tree before entering the Temperate House

couldn't miss the strawflowers in the davies exploration house

we headed back to go to the POW via the lake again

the swan family was now the other side of the crossing, coming back down towards us - they've had a busy morning's swim!  

as Kim was feeding some moorhen in the water under the lake crossing, I caught these geese flying overhead in to land...

the swans arrived at the crossing, they do like to swim in a straight line!  

we headed back up the grass towards the waterlily house

I put my long zoom on again 

it was stiflingly hot in the waterlily house today

back out into the fresh air -  with the long zoom on I took another shot of the sculpture at this end of the path

and then crossed to the Princess of Wales conservatory

cacti close to flowering - will miss it of course!

this one was open 

and along a bit further so was this

in the carnivorous room Kim spotted this pitcher flowering

I had the wrong lens on to get a decent shot

not much in the alpine house but some autumn colour coming 

on our way to the exit final shot - we always think this angle/view makes the Palm House look not 100% straight... no idea why.  but it looks on the wonk again!!  

it has to be an optical illusion. 

Thanks for looking, hope to see you next week !