Saturday, September 21, 2024

Kew - penultimate early!

 There was quite a crowd of members at the gates today, making the most of the last 2 weekends of early entrance.


the forecast today was for the possibility of thundery showers but it started dry if cloudy 



Kim is doing her own opening shot of me taking my opening shot.....






the beds are still looking ok  but I expect they'll be emptying them soon to prep for the winter season



bed at the end of the Palm House path and in background the one at the end of the Broad Walk







most of these have gone to seed now 


vegetable garden

marigold companion planting


favourite bit of the evolution garden (back to front!)
these are gorgeous







physalis coming along - true sign of autumn!


back to my favourite bit!




lots of teasels 



over the far side of the evolution garden near the wall that bounds the rock garden is this red leafed beauty

walking back up the grass by the wall the sun came out

we went through the gap in the wall and turned down salvia border along the edge of the rock garden
these colchicums are on the edge of the rock garden
there are lots of salvias in full flower but there weren't many bees out this morning 







the aeer outside the Princess of Wales

and through the branches with the POW behind
the sun was mostly staying out


we headed back towards the cafe for our free cup of tea and an early pit-stop



there was a very limited selection of cake today so it was a hot sausage roll for me.  yummy


they are however getting smaller and the price going up....

Kim told me to take a second opening shot now the sun was out...
this is an hour and a half after the first one.
the sun does make the sculptures shine too

the hibiscus outside the end of the Palm House are still stunning



and the sky was quite blue in Kim's picture now too




we took the path that cuts through the rose garden and headed for the lake


love the sun catching the leaves


the swans and cygnets were on the lake 



over the other side of the lake and headed up towards the woodland
lots more trees changing colour 

a couple of Egyptian geese on the path
we headed into the woodland and the children's tree-stump play area  looking for funghi

this is the remnants of what we saw a couple of weeks ago,  it's been a bit dry lately for much 
tree calved into a snake shape
a few more bits of funghi













it had warmed up enough to shed my coat!
gorgeous leaves 

love the bark on this tree 


we turned down the path to the bird feeders in the hope of finding the golden pheasant (sadly not)


there were several squirrels and Kim threw them some monkey nuts in their shells
this one was very skittish and didn't really want to pose













it was blending in well with the path, too!












we headed off as Goldie didn't seem to want to come out today









got to love some fluffy seedheads 










from there we headed back towards the pavilion cafe  and the temperate house



rowan berries
some other berries



outside the pavilion cafe 

grapes on the vines outside the cafe


the purple/blue berries are developing nicely



the roof here is the cafe roof


as we headed to the Temperate house  we saw this clump of funghi





I will make sure to see all of the sculptures one last time next weekend 

it's a shame they will go just as the leaves change colour 

in the temperate house
















then to see the strawflowers







outside again, lots more colour 









before crossing the lake again 









where there was more in the way of reflections in the sun





into the waterlily house















aoenium outside 





fluffy looking (but bet it is spiky really) cactus in the POW



it was really humid in the POW so we didn't linger long


fern unfurling 

grasses 
not masses in the alpine house - lots of cyclamen which I didn't photograph

at the time I thought this was blurring into the background too much 
bullrush as we walked through the rock garden to the exit
waterfall in the rock garden


they've re-filled the little channels that have been empty for a while and the waterfalls are all running now 



thanks for looking - after next week you like me get a lie in so only one more Saturday to get up at 5 for Kew (sadly!) 




1 comment:

Celtic house said...

Blogger is misbehaving and won't let me comment, so trying again. Loving the autumn colour change and I'm glad you got some blue skies in your visit.

The shrinking sausage roll and escalating prices seems to be a sign of the times doesn't it.

Have a fab sunday