a sunny Kew again

 Well despite the best efforts of B Gas and SGN to spoil things at home,  Kew was lovely of course today.  A big crowd waiting for 10 and the gates to open.  Enjoy. 

it was chilly first thing  but the sun soon warmed me up 

the beds in front of the Palm House are full of spring colour

and the urns along the pond

work on the waterlily house refurb has started in earnest

for the first time in a long time Kim and I decided to walk down the Broad Walk first

I bet these opened fully in the sun later 

magnolias round by the Hive

several varieties so got carried away

the Princess of Wales in the sun

teeny daffodils in the beds at the Carbon Garden

and some whoppers of tulips

drifting up the slope towards the CG

outside the POW

inside the POW

this has been flowering in the renovated part of the POW ever since - months 

through the orchid rooms

out of order... 

jade vine in fine form 

had to find my viewing spot well! 

upper level round an arch.  had a bit of misting trouble on the lens 

outside again 

top of the Leaf Spirit

walking through the lower part of the rock garden we saw some Pasque flowers out, so headed up to the higher path where the main grouping of them is 

I think they're early this year, (usually flower around Easter) but it is always lovely to see them in their velvety beauty

I did get right down on the path at low level. 

lots still to come

I did get carried away with them 

alpine house 

gorgeous irises

fritillary

purple arum

one half of the alpine house had the shades up,  nice shadow patterns 

the winter shelter over the spiral aloe has been removed 

scilla  cuban lily in the rock garden 

goose in the waterlily pond 

bonsai house, flowering 

and the malus was flowering and fruiting 

student veg garden was open, someone's had some fun with some dried seed heads as they start to prepare the beds for planting

walking through the evolution garden, the pink magnolia was gorgeous 

at the far end 

heading back towards the cafe 

drifts of daffodils along the path

the gunnera is growing again 

the weeping cherry still looking good 

sitting outside for our tea (and I had cake - vanilla custard paris brest)  wasn't quite as nice as the first time I had one 

and I didn't bother with cutlery.... 

stuff it in! 

fully refreshed, off to the lake via the Yoshino cherry trees round the rose garden

avoiding the people by shooting up high!

large tree off to the side

along the path to where the Sounds of Blossom trail starts (music accompaniment to the blossoms  )

they play a couple of sessions at 11 and 1 I think 

this was the 11 session 

the big tree on the corner by where they play seems late this year, it's usually in full bloom for the start of Sounds of Blossom 

but it's coming! 

at the lake, there were a couple sitting on the bench facing the water, so had a side view 

there was a single swan on the water, not sure where it's mate is,  

across the other side of the lake

when the couple left we changed benches

walking round the lake on the same side we came across the smaller heron stood on a bench keeping a watch out...

top of the lake looking down towards the crossing 

far side of the top of Kew,  I never know what this shrub is but every year I admire it 

we walked through the woodland but there was no sign of Goldie, only Peter so we sat and chatted a while

before moving on back towards the Temperate House

gorgeous blossom 

quick walk through the Temperate House

and back to the exit past another large drift of daffodils 

then it was off home to ring British Gas to come and re-light my boiler again (it's old, and the ignition doesn't work if it goes off at the mains) - not sure why this happened again  - they have been replacing the gas mains in the street this week and after they finished on Tuesday I had to get them out to manually re-light  the pilot on the  boiler  but it was off again this morning when I woke up...  They're coming Monday afternoon so no hot water or heating before then

thanks for looking, and see you next week, hopefully warm and clean!!