Glorious Kew again

 This is the last weekend of the 10am opening, next week it is back to members in at 8 so set your alarm clocks...

I was there really early today as I had to get the bus (engineering works again) ..

It was already warming up when the gates opened at 10

we were going to check on "stinky" first so Kim headed round the other side of the pond whilst I came to take my opening shot

..so whilst I was waiting for Kim I sat on the pavement to eat breakfast (hot cross bun)

I did pause to take a few extras on my way to the Princess of Wales conservatory

including my current favourites

however, despite FB and Insta posts from Kew, saying it was nearly ready,  it wasn't as open as we had hoped.

I took one on the phone too,  

and then later (nearly 3 hours, before I went home, I returned, just to check! )

I thought it was bulging a bit further but perhaps not.

It will be over though by next weekend!!  

there was no smell yet, so maybe another couple of days. 

ok,  back to 10 o'clock...

upper level 

back on main level 

arid area 

then back out into the sunshine 

through the rock garden 

allium time!  

eucalyptus flowering 

last few pasque flowers blooming

outside the alpine house 

in the rock garden 

in the alpine house 

outside the alpine house,  echium  will be smothered in flowers before long

pasqueflowers in the evolution garden are a bit later than the ones on the upper path of the rock garden

meconopsis in the poppy beds starting -  can't wait for the big blowsy poppies but they're a way off yet 

down to  the peony beds 

looking up into a tree canopy

the fountain  was on today - looks a bit bare without the Hercules statue which has gone back to Windsor  - they did say they would put something on the plinth - hopefully soon! 

across the pond towards the Broad Walk 

heading past the Palm House on our way to the lake 

there was good light through the trees

and bright greens against the sky

Henrys...  blogger's own order.

they need walking all round to get different angles.  

hopefully the barriers will be down by opening of the event on 9th 

wildflowers under trees 

by the Lockerbie memorial bench close to the lake, the 2 swans were on the grass

we got to the lake and joined Peter on the bench 

the ducks were scooping up food

soon the swans joined us

as they swam around in front of us they made some lovely reflections in the water

the sun was dappling on their backs making lovely patterns 

crossing the lake on our way for a cup of tea...

gorgeous reflections as usual in the sunshine 

I can never resist a version on the phone, especially if I don't have the short zoom on at the time on the camera

looking back at the crossing 

by the Treetop walkway

the ropes stopping you walk through the posts and trees are gone (for now anyhow) 

Brownie time.  

then the short walk across the grass to the Temperate House

some massive trees covered in blossom

not masses of colour in the TH but the Bird of Paradise are coming out 

there were a couple of Henrys though

one with a viewing hole!!  I can see you.... 

and she can see me!  

another Henry in the second octagon 

she got me again! 

it's going to be like the mirrors I think with the holes in Henrys!  

then it was out the Cherry Walk and the tulips - the cherry trees have finished flowering and although the earlier white tulips have gone over  the darker coloured varieties were still going quite strong

as they don't cut the grass whilst the tulips are flowering, some "weeds" pop up... lots of dandelion clocks today, so tempting to blow them - but they're a bit too far from the ropes to do that!

it's the big kid in me.... 

more bright green trees against the sky

walking up the grass the other side of Cherry Walk you can see across theMeditteranean garden (the blue of the ceanothus) and the pink is the huge Judas tree from the lower level of the MG behind 

at the edge of the MG

another Henry

legs akimbo....

so I got posed in between!  

at this point Kim decided she'd go back to the lake before she headed home, 

and I headed past the bed at the top of the Broad Walk for some close ups of the anemones,  

before going into the POW to check up on Stinky as I shared earlier 

by the Carbon Garden some gorgeous tulips

and the magnificent wisteria 

looking so much better than last year,  covered in flowers 

can't resist the mushroom in the Carbon Garden 

over to the wisteria for a close look 

(phone) 

I took time as I got to the Broad Walk to check out the alliums, you know how much I love them.

coming along nicely!

drifts of pink and white tulips heading back up the Broad Walk 

passing that bed again, in fabulous sun

tubs along the pond edge 

thanks for looking, see you next week, bright and earlier!!