Photos by H: A frosty Kew in the sunshine

Hello. Temperatures plummeted overnight, it was -6 when I got up... Trains were all over the place so it was the bus to Kew.. nothing was going to stop me, that is what layered clothing is for...

the sky was blue and the sun was shining though...

the gates were frosty....

so many layers... thermals, double socks, double gloves, jumper, scarf, hat and hood, It was cold standing waiting but ok once inside and moving.

No Kim today, emergency sewage problem at home...

of course the pond was frozen - Christmas has been taken down, so a clear view across the pond (empty planters, covered in frost, they'll only be replanted in spring)

lumps of ice on top of the ice...

My fingers were tingling with cold despite the fingerless gloves and my normal (work) ones, but I gradually warmed up

love the frost on the grass everywhere

and enough sun to play shadow selfies - been a fair few weeks since that's been possible

bed at the top of the Broad Walk

dogwood by the pond

reflections in the icy pond

taking a shadow selfie on the camera!

setting off along the Broad Walk

behind me...

the frost was really thick on most of the plants ; although a lot of the borders had been cut hard back.

on my way round to the rear of the Princess of Wales conservatory I walked over the grass to the secluded garden - they've not had the water flowing over this for months, but it was looking good in the sun

the frosty grass was crunchy under foot, like walking on broken glass.

plants outside the POW, by the water rill that runs round this side of it

the POW is now closed whilst the Orchid Festival is installed - I peered through the door and could see people working inside

hard to think that in a few months this will be covered in wildflowers again

part of the rock garden

there wasn't much in the alpine house but these yellow flowers glowing in the sun were gorgeous

a very frosty hellebore

the snowdrops didn't look too happy this week either!

into the evolution garden where the sun was making everything so much prettier than last week's gloom!

I met fellow Kew regulars Patrick and Joyce here but it was too cold to stop and talk for long!

same plant but closer, in the sun

along the rose pergola,P&J in the distance

cutting across more frosty grass back towards the palm house

hugely frosty plant...

the beds at palm house

I went into the Palm House - they are gearing up to clear it for the renovation so only part of it is accessible..

if they repair the very rusty door I think I will be partly sad...

camera played up inside, due to the atmosphere so I didn't stay long

bloody blogger is doing my head in with the order of photos

frosty rose garden

love the shadows

outside the palm house

frosty holly

cherry tree trying to bud, but covered in frost - had trouble with the sun and focus but I like the frost!

the leaves were crunchy to walk over

great fun

more shadows... on my way to the lake

the lake was fully frozen this week, at least on the surface, not sure how deep the ice went

there were a couple of kids with their mum near the bench we sometimes see Peter feeding the geese (and fox) using a fallen branch as a hockey stick to send chunks of ice over the surface, there were having great fun

these little red flowers were really pretty. I've forgotten what the tree is

by the crossing

skating gulls...

the kids had moved along the lake and were not at the edge of the lake next to the crossing, looking for more things to skid across the surface

the sky and the icy lake made for great reflections today

the posts were all frosty

over the other side of the lake and heading towards the treetop walkway

it was closed for safety reasons (the steps and the walkway would be slippery if the frost was already melting)

tangle of trees and metal uprights.

the only part of Christmas left, by what was the food court...

holly walk in the sun

shadows in the frost outside the Temperate House

I can't get the order right, running out of patience

the lady who often paints the orchids had relocated to the Temperate House as the POW was out of action

I was having trouble with the camera condensation from the difference in temperature to outside

back outside again where it was no longer feeling quite as cold

ahead of me the brilliance of the dogwood in the Winter Garden was shining like a beacon

so I headed that way

I could get the sky in using the phone, not wanting to change lens

at the bottom of the winter garden

frozen hellebores

and lots of frosty euphorbia

I headed round the path up the slope.

the pink hellebores are still not as advanced as the yellowy white ones, even before the frost!

looking through the dogwood stems

more euphorbia

the sun hitting the seedheads from the left was starting to melt the frost

edgworthia

trying to bend down low enough to see the flowers

at the top of the garden

skimmia. the contrast between the sunny side and the frosty side was striking

I had to wait to get to take pictures of the witch hazel

the sun was catching the frost

more skimmia on the way back down the new path

and a white one

sun on the mahonia

on the other side of the path leading out of the winter garden.

the bright green behind the dogwood shone

frosty yellow witch hazel at the end of the path

frosty camellia... that won't do it much good!

heading back to the cafe

despite the sun, there was still a heavy frost on much of the grass

the temple of bellona, the tree so colourful in autumn now bare of course

I liked the shapes of the building though

it was time for food - the tables are back outside now and I picked the wobbliest table imaginable to sit at... someone had been before me and dried the frost off the seat

it felt almost warm after the freezing temps earlier on - it was now minus 1 and I could half undo my coat in the sunshine!

the sausage roll was hot and tasty. the hot chocolate was hot but not especially frothy!