Easter Monday in the sun at Kew

 What a difference a couple of days makes!  Bright sunshine and warm.  Back to Kew for a bonus visit.

the swans were on the Palm House pond as I entered

tubs along the pond edge full of tulips

one of the swans

the beds at the Palm House are mostly yellow

apart from the 2 central beds which are edged with purple and white

round bed at the end of the path 

looking gorgeous in the sun  (better pic later to come)

round bed at the top of Broad Walk - some gorgeous purple anemones  in this bed

I headed to the Rock Garden and the Pasqueflowers before they fade too fast 

outside the Alpine house

alpine house 

Carbon garden

I think the pink in the distance is a Judas tree

back at the Broad Walk, tulips in the sunshine 

huge tree the other side of the Broad Walk 

more tulips

gorgeous blue sky behind the blossom

the creamy yellow magnolias are now fully out 

these are near the children's garden which was obviously going to be busy today judging by the number of families around

one of the Henry Moore statues,  you can't see it properly yet with the barriers still up   It's some kind of seed I think 

magnolias again,  most of the biggest trees in the dell are over, apart from some yellow ones again.

this pink one is a smaller one close by the dell 

more blossom near the magnolias

and by the fritillarias 

heading through towards the azaleas 

still some white magnolias 

the red behind are little rhodoedendrons

blogger is reversing the next few,  

I could have stopped to change to the short zoom but the light was fabulous between the trees

next I took the path from the azaleas towards Rhododendron dell - this patch of colour is just before you join that path

lots of bluebells out under the trees

the rhododendrons are staring to flower - this massive tree was full of pink! 

I headed through the Dell 

I kept my eye out for foxes as they can often be found here, but didn't see any today

it was mostly white ones flowering through the Dell so far

something pink at the top of the bank

smaller bush rhododendron towards the end of the path 

I was amazed at the end of the Dell as the path meets top path running along the river, to see that Camassia are out - they are normally much later

whilst there aren't many yet, they are well on the way

I cut across the daisy-strewn grass 

and crossed the path

almost immediately finding the 8 Egyptian geese babies -  they were a bit scattered but all there with mum and dad

I headed for the woodland 

as I knew in the sun the bluebells would look so much better today

I went round to the bird feeding benches but no sign of Goldie and with no food to give them nothing came down to the benches. 

I carried on through the woodland

trees by Queen Charlotte's cottage

and then towards the Pagoda and the Japanese gateway garden

blogger is playing up with the orders again.  not changing it now 

by the gravel garden at the Japanese gateway

outside the Temperate House

the pink (hair matching) tree again (well when the colour is freshly done) 

inside the Davies Exploration house

I could see at the end of the path by the TH that the cherry trees on Cherry Walk - and the tulips - were much far advanced than last time I was by here 

although it was mostly the white tulips that were out, 

there are pops of colour too

it was impossible not to get people in the photos

from the far end of Cherry Walk 

light through petals 

back towards the TH

ivy at the top of the steps

lots of people out for Easter

euphorbia in the Mediterranean garden 

stripy tulips outside the cafe at the Victoria gate

I had to share a table but at least was outside in the now very warm sunshine 

then it was round the back of the Palm House pond towards the Princess of Wales that I hadn't gone inside when I was there earlier 

jade vine still looking good

the Titan is up to 85 cm

orchid room 

new ferns coming 

back on the Broad Walk again, I was heading for the lake before leaving 

that bed with the light through the tulips looking much better than before as promised

  passing the Palm House

at the top of the steps at the end of the Palm House, some gorgeous tulips lit in the sun

I did walk through the middle of the PH but it was too hot so came out at the mid-point 

and headed to the lake 

as I headed across the lake, I saw that the swans were back, but one was by the bench Kim and I often sit at, and the other was the other side of the crossing 

perhaps they've had a row!! 

it was nearly time to head home, my legs were aching

so I made my way back towards the exit

there was a long queue waiting to get in as I too another picture of the tubs at the entrance.

thanks for looking again  - see you Saturday!