a stifling Kew

 Most of the UK - well the southern part particularly - has been gripped by another heatwave all week with temperatures in the mid 30's . I decided to brave a short visit today before it got too hot.

Was woken at 4am by an incredible clap of thunder followed by a storm that lasted till getting up time... I don't think I've ever heard thunder so loud (as several regulars at the gate concurred) 

it had dried though by 8 and the crowd waiting surged in...none of us were going to stay long!

there was a beautiful breeze and cool enough to enjoy, for about 45 minutes 

Kim hadn't come today, due to the heat. 

tubs along the palm house pond

central palm house bedding

evidence of the rain on the base of the Henry

the beautiful deep magenta dahlias in the round bed at the top of the Broad Walk are flowering again - they were so fabulous last year ( I never did buy any to plant....) 

the bed is also dotted with alliums

more dahlias

next, down the Broad Walk 

lots of yellow at this time of year 

more evidence of the overnight rain

love how some of the verbascum grow curly!

still walking down the Broad Walk slowly 

the Henry at the end 

more of these lovely lilies outside the Orangery 

monkey puzzle

carbon garden next

hydrangea

lots of colour, the rich red of crocosmia Lucifer

huge drifts of helenium

lots of purple drifts too

the colour of the mushroom is changing as it weathers  

more drifts of helenium

the wildflowers, mostly just the yellow ones left spilling over the fencing

just past the Princess of Wales, a slope covered in wildflowers 

moving through to the evolution garden - still walking slowly

 

as I went past the student beds - which was still locked - I saw that lots more sunflowers have come out this week, shame I couldn't get in to them!

the red poppies are over, but the lovely papery white ones are gorgeous

covered with raindrops

this part of the evolution garden at this time of year, is my favourite, 

echinacea

achillea

and helenium

I never know what these are but they look like fried eggs 

and these are some of my favourites too! 

more crocosmia along the palm house pond

the sun was out again now and it was warming up

against the backdrop of the palm house

as I got to the other side of the palm house pond and heading for my cup of free tea, I saw our friends Patrick and Joyce and they joined me trying to find some shade 

largely unsuccessfully! 

I had been going to have a croissant but they hadn't received a delivery yet...(it came as we sat and drank our tea but I didn't go back in ) 

after my tea I headed for the lake - hoping it would still be nice and cool under the trees 

pausing for some Henry puddles

where I found Peter and some tufted duck babies 

the swans

and some mallard babies

the swans are very chilled and quite tame now

the ducklings bobbed about close to the side of the lake

another family of ducklings swam by - this mum had 10

the swan reflections were making great patterns

it was nice and cool as I thought in the shade but I didn't stop long as I knew it would be warming up out in the open 

when i got to the Davies Exploration house they were setting up for a community event and I couldn't get to the main bed of strawflowers but by the other door are some more, this one had a beautiful Red Admiral butterfly sitting on it

trying not to disturb it I was hoping to get it's wings quite open 

yay!

I crossed the path into the Temperate House through the big main doors 

lotus flowers

these always fascinate me

Henry  - it wasn't much past 10 so not many people yet in the way!  

Temperate House from the top of the steps at the other end of the path 

verbena in the new beds of the Mediterranean garden 

more butterflies 

it was harder to get this one with it's wings open but it is nice to see more butterflies about 

a reclining Henry

it was too hot for me now, the humidity had increased and I was headng back to the exit

as I did so I saw a fox coming out from some undergrowth 

so too did a little boy of maybe 2, who made a run for her, causing her  to run back 

he lost interest (or was called away)  but I stood my ground 

she ran towards me 

and was rewarded with several photos  before she ran off again 

I popped into the Palm House - it was cooler inside than out!

before walking back down the path at the back of the bedding 

they've got lots of strawflowers growing in the beds here this summer

and lots of dahlias too 

weeping willow by the pond. 

It was still early but I was done in the heat and headed home. 

thanks for looking, see you next week - the temperature is meant to be much more like normal by then, thank goodness.