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!)