Kew

 After another few hot days, today was grey and much cooler... bliss. Some sun would have been nice though..

the dahlias have been fantastic this year 

round bed at the end of the pond (phone)

especially these dark one as you  know I love these ones

then down the Broad Walk 

we went round to the Hive and from halfway up we could see the Carbon Garden 

Broad Walk from the top of the Hive path

sitting on the floor selfie 

walking back down 

bit more of the Broad Walk 

from the lower level looking right up

then round the corner to the Carbon Garden 

the planting is settling in quickly 

then heading round towards the grass garden 

pink tree at the entrance to the Duke's Garden

rudbeckias at the end of the grass garden 

grapes along the veg garden borders

in the veg garden

sunflowers

I love the opening sunflowers 

Evolution garden, physalis 

growing well.  closer to the path this year, yay! 

we decided to go for breakfast and our free cup of tea at this point 

I had one of the over priced brownies, although they are nice! 

afterwards we headed back the way we'd come to do some glasshouses but first we climbed the hill to the Temple of Aeolus to look at the Evolution garden from high up - the tree on the right has of course grown loads of leaves....

since we were up there in spring and blocks the colourful beds I love so much... hey ho. 

palm house from the path coming back down -  looking on the wonk... Kim and I say no matter how we line up shots from this side of the pond they always look on the wonk... from the hill too it seems 

next, Princess of Wales 

close up of the bronze piece in the foreground outside POW

maker's label

inside

some large passionflowers growing above the path through 

this week because they've finished clearing this area for renovation we could walk out this way.

It looks a huge space, now it's empty.

will watch developments with interest 

salvia, outside, before changing back to macro lens

back along the Broad Walk before cutting across the grass 

to the waterlily house

one of the giant blooms, cut open and placed on a lily pad

the fallen petals are from a lotus flower

passionflowers growing around the inner door

planting between the outer and inner doors

as we headed towards the lake we were surprised to see magnolias growing flowers...

and acers turning colour

seems the plants don't know what season it is!

and funghi up a tree trunk

as we neared the lake we saw a heron sitting on a branch.

we'd seen one earlier this morning by the palm house pond but he flew off as I tried to get a decent photo 

It wasn't this one though

we were surprised to see a swan, we haven't seen any on the lake for months

it came over for some food

no sun, so not much in the way of reflections as we crossed the lake

we headed round the other side of the lake 

and toward the woodland 

pausing to sit at the table from a years ago Mad Hatter's tea party feature 

it's a very long table!

through the woodland,  the children's log trail

fluffy seeds 

verbena against the new fencing outside the Temperate House

stairs up to the viewing platform - not been up for a while....

spent lotus flower 

this beauty from last week still lovely 

red passionflower 

rippled lotus flower coming out

and then heading our way through the Mediterranean garden as we headed back to the exit 

thanks for looking, see you next week - when perhaps we'll have some blue skies!