Kew -tulip time

 Another 9am entry today with a chilly start but it soon warmed up

some days you have to start taking photos from outside the gates looking in...

great shadows!

the pink tulips in the tubs along the pond are still fabulous

it's been great (for photography on the floor) that the spring has been so dry.  no muddy knees!

looking along the row

palm house beds

more tulips, round bed at top of Broad Walk 

and down the Broad Walk now

back to front order now...

these orange-pink ones are always gorgeous year after year 

in front of the Orangery restaurant are some tubs of beautiful purple tulips... I got carried away

again, taking them in a line along the row of tubs.

trees are growing

we went past the huge monkey puzzle for the first time in months

on the left here is a hidden badger sett and a low growing wisteria, it's just coming into bud.

along from me at home is a house with a large wisteria clambering over there garage, which is in flower already.  

we went intothe Duke's garden.

since they changed it drastically a couple of years ago and took out one of the huge beds, there's not been a lot there... but these were gorgeous

more tulips,  loving the sun through the petals

looking across the grass garden - pruned back for now -  the gates in the distance take you into the Duke's garden

in the veg garden they've built a greenhouse

as they're still working on it you can't walk round the veg garden yet,  but the beds seem mostly empty.

the sweet peas have been planted up teepees along the edge though, bordering the evolution garden path

it's not  a huge greenhouse but I am sure it will be big enough for them

evolution garden now

they have some pasqueflowers there too

taken from the path towards the end of the evolution garden and the temple at the top of the hill

there isn't masses of colour in the evolution garden yet, my favouite late summer beds are mulched and planted ready though

the far side has this patch of yellow though

big rhododendron through the woodland path

we climbed up the hill for a view over the evolution garden as it was still before 10 and quiet

a good view of the Palm House too

the fountain wasn't on till much later today

nice shadow though.

we headed past the palm house beds again heading towards rhododendron dell (eventually!) 

the snakes head fritillary near the magnolias 

some of the huge pink and white magnolias are over but still lots of blossom 

apple blossom cherry

light through magnolia 

heading past the magnolias

dappled shade

bright red acers 

smaller rhododendrons in what they used to call the azalea garden but is undergoing some work

the on to rhododendron dell 

blogger has decided it's own order again

at the top of rhododendron dell you come to the edge of Kew as it borders the river, and the spread of camassia, which are just coming into flower 

they'll be glorious in a week 

I wish I knew what this was, every spring it's fabulous

off through the woodland in search of bluebells

they're just starting to flower 

we went round to where the bird feeders used to be but the benches had several people already occupying them, so we didn't stop

we did find some bluebells in a drift under some trees further round

we headed to the pavilion cafe for a drink (they had no cakes or pastries, it was only 11 too and they'd not been open long) 

it was really hot in the sun but we weren't going to sit indoors!

more tulips as we walked along towards the gallery 

just under the arch/folly the ceanothus was out

there is a new exhibition in the gallery 

called the Power of Trees (opened today, on till September)

in the main room is a wall covered with a huge spruce tree, a film plays showing the movement of the tree

we stood (and sat) and watched for a bit, it was quite mesmerising. 

I'm not sure you'll be able to read it, as people kept moving into the room and standing in the way,   but I linked the web page above.

then it was over to cherry walk and the tulips.... 

lying on the grass 

it looked good from down there!

at present the tulips are mostly white and red,

a few yellow coming out and darker ones to come, are still in bud form

we went round the outside of the temperate house to the davies exploration room

were my favourite daisies were fluffing nicely!

next stop the lake, via the treetop walkway

we found the pair of Egyptian geese, sadly now with only 8 of the original 9 chicks but they all seemed fine  (the other couple we saw who had the early chicks no longer have any left, they've all been predated)   we hope these make it!

the lake itself was of course, beautiful bathed in sunshine and busy

and from there headed back past the rose garden/palm house and the exit

thanks again for looking, hope you enjoyed it without getting too hot.

see you next week