Kew - pretending it's Saturday!

 I know, it's Tuesday, don't get confused... I tacked some holiday on to the end of the Easter weekend and as my new washing machine came early I decided on the spur of the moment (having checked the forecast for the next 2 days when I am off) to go to Kew...arrived around 1.45 ish... that felt odd!! 

the sky was blue dotted with white clouds and warm - I'd already ditched my coat on the way...

now this is a cheat "first shot" because this was

actually the first one ..

the big tubs at the gate.. unfortunately someone walked across me and stood just where I wanted to take the photo from... 

ok, let's carry on.  

for a change I had also brought the extra wide angle lens too, 

I went up the steps to the Palm House , this is on the top next to the hedge

sadly my shot got photo bombed but I wasn't going to wait for them to walk right out of view

inside the Palm House

looking up at the roof

I headed to the waterlily house, some beautiful tulips in the beds outside, still in ultra wide angle

being newly replanted, the lilies take a while to grow big

outside again and back to macro

walked round the outside of the waterlily house to look at 2 huge trees covered in blossom

these are close to the magnolias which are now finished 

the acers shone in the sun

some low growing rhododendrons

as I headed towards rhododendron dell I saw this fox (couldn't get closer)

there was a bloke sitting on the grass with a huge camera lens taking photos 

towering rhododendrons

blogger has reversed these next ones, 

but never mind.

the camassia were stunning... 

there are narrow paths through the blooms so you can walk amongst them

I cut across to these

before turning to head off to the woodland walk 

I could see another tree of pink blossom ahead 

but as I approached, I noticed the heron stood next to this bench, taking no notice of the man on the bench at all... 

it let me get quite close

I carried on to the woodland walk

 

blogger is being a pain..   

I took the path to the no longer there, bird feeders...

as I rounded the corner, I was startled to see the deer,   we've not seen one for a long time, and not here before (although other regulars have)

it was having a good munch

and then headed off to the trees at the top of the photo here

I headed round past the small waterlily pond 

and on to the lake

where I saw 2 swans.   When Kim and I spoke to Peter on Saturday he didn't think the male was the adult from last year, but I don't know...

no sign of Egyptian goslings but the Canada goose was still on her nest 

I took a short cut to the tulips by the Temperate House

these weren't out on Saturday

they were really pretty, petals like satin 

I walked along the grass on the far right of the 2 beds and nearly bumped into this

the sky had gone quite cloudy...

there'd been rain since I was last here so no lying on the grass today, just down low

we hadn't gone into the Davies Exploration house on Saturday so that's where I went next

I walked round the outside of the Temperate House to the blossom at the far end

smothered in flowers!

I headed to the Pavilion cafe next for a cup of tea 

to my surprise they had cake - in the morning if you're lucky you get a pastry here

it was a carrot cupcake and yummy

I took the path back past the ceanothus

and past the gallery (didn't go in today)

and along camellia walk -  not that these are camellias!

and to the exit - 

more big tubs of tulips 

couldn't resist these ones from Saturday again 

as I headed out and home.

thanks for looking - weather depending, there may be another trip somewhere on Thursday before it's back to work...