Kew - normal service is resumed!

 Storm Bert blew himself out and it was back to normal Saturday visit to Kew today..

it was dry, (though there'd been rain overnight, the paths were damp) and very mild, but sadly not a lot (any) of blue sky...

I wore my big coat but didn't really need it.... Kim taking me taking my opening shot...the FB one as I have my phone in my hand!!

new hair cut/colour after work yesterday - a brighter copper this time! (was so tempted to go back to the red though)

the blog opening shot!

 

some good reflections though

especially of the trees

the round bed at the top of the Broad Walk (and the beds in front of the Palm House) have been planted for winter

and the pansies at the edge are starting to flower 

first stop, Princess of Wales conservatory

the titan arun is growing, and they've put the growth chart up now 

from the phone 

it reached 1m78 yesterday.  

we'll no doubt miss it opening as I expect it'll be during the week!  

there were a few orchids in the orchid rooms

and some ferns unfurling

it was really hot in the POW so we beat a hasty retreat.

this is by the exit 

we had a look round the grass garden

the pampas are tall

seedheads

in the alpine house 

the pond outside the alpine house under the waterfall is a bit.... green!!

evolution garden, mahonia going strong still 

we could see that there wasn't much left in the EG so zig-zagged about a bit, and Blogger has done the same with my photos...

skeletonised remains of the Physalis 

and a little bug on this one still with it's fruit

the leaves on the porcelain berry have all gone, we couldn't work out if they'd been cut back or just lost in the storms. the latter I guess...

the teasels were still good.

there were a pair of robins on the pergola  but I didn't have the long zoom, Kim got a good one though!

more seedheads.  so sculptural..

the magnolias are budding!

woodland path

leaf spirit  

 gorgeous texture

there were a few leaves left on this maple

and it too had gorgeous bark -  it's a paper bark maple

another magnolia budding

this is part of the light trail,  I've seen a photo of them lit at night with people walking through them

there were some trees with leaves left on

another part of the light trail, this cathedral of light always features somewhere round the trail. 

we headed to the lake next 

where we saw what is probably signs of damage from Storm Bert as this split trunk looks quite fresh

as we approached a bench under this tree a flock of pigeons descended expecting food!

blogger is messing with the order again,,  this is from the lake crossing looking to the end of the lake

we were surprised to see both adult swans and 4 of their cygnets still together, the 5th was nowhere in sight, I presume (hope) it's left home to set up on it's own....rather than having been predated. 

the ripples were caused by a moorhen diving underwater!

the lights along the crossing.  not seen what they look like at night, I haven't seen many posts on social media of peoples trips to the lights.  

one of the cygnets - really large now and feathers and turning white

in the Temperate House

there was more colour to see this time than the last 

I remember this beauty from previous years

from there it was back outside and to the cafe for refreshments 

it was too warm to sit inside and most of the tables in front of the cafe have been moved to make way for food concession stalls for the Christmas at Kew event, so we went and sat on the bench overlooking the pond and Palm House... cake and hot chocolate

the bench had looked dry... but it was a little damp... oops! 

after visiting the shop it was time to leave, past the bauble tree (just on the other side of the barrier on the way in)

and some bauble selfies...

thanks for looking - would be nice to say hoping for sun next week but rain is forecast at present.... 

anyway see you next week!