Finally - a Saturday at Kew, not the optician's!

After what seems like ages, and is in fact about 6 weeks, yesterday I finally got to go to Kew again - for once I didn't have to go to the optician/hospital or was stuck inside from the snow with a cold!

There was half a film still in the camera from the end of October with some gorgeous trees in full colour - so am putting some of them up here, but by yesterday, all the leaves had gone and there were lots of bare trees - beautiful shapes, some of the branches make - and the light wasn't good (although that may be because I forgot my glasses and couldn't see properly!!!)  anyhow, here they are:

I think this has to be one of my favourites for ages! Love the twisted trunks!

 And my favourite fountain, under the beautiful colours of this tree - I am quite pleased with this one too!

There was still some colour yesterday!

 And part of the lake is still frozen. Still got some good reflections, despite the gloomy sky!

 Don't you love the shapes of the branches against the cloudy sky?

I think this tree was labelled "spreading plane" and apparently it's one of the oldest at Kew from the 1740's (or so)

Christmas comes to Kew. No, I didn't have a go!!

Probably won't get back again now until the new year, sadly!

Kew again - Autumn spectacular 30.10.10

Hi, all.

Yesterday I took what may be the last opportunity to go to Kew to get the best of the autumn colour - and BOY was it worth it.  I had wanted to go last weekend, but they forecast rain (that didn't appear, at least at the time I'd have been there!) when I think probably it may have been better - this week, lots of the leaves have now fallen.  However, despite the best efforts of British Rail I got there just after 9.30 opening time and WAS I rewarded. So, sit back, it may be hard to decide which of the 74 or so shots I took, to leave out.....

The sky wasn't quite as grey looking as it's come out in the photos, but the colours still show up well!

As you can see, it was a lovely bright morning (mostly) which helps with the light coming through the trees.

 it was still early enough for the ground to be a touch frosty/dew covered. (my feet got wet!)

 Just love how this tree trunk twists round.

You can really appreciate the view from the walkway now the leaves are falling - love this shot with the dappled shade on thiese trees.

Could have done with the sun coming back out for this shot, I knew I should have waited around longer!

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed these (check back to the last visit 3 weeks ago for the difference - and the funghi had all gone!)

Sunny Autumn Saturday at Kew

Last Saturday I went to Kew for the first time in a month. It was a crisp but bright autumn morning, just how I like them! 

I had a film in the camera left from September and the first few pics are from then - the waterlilies from the Waterlily House were spectacular then, but finished by this weekend.

Taken hand held on the macro setting with my zoom extended to 300mm (quite tricky to hold it steady!) across to the middle of the pond! (I don't carry my tripod with me on the train!)

Love the pattern of the growth between the lily pads!








On to Saturday.

I love the use of this metal that was allowed to rust in the use of the tower for the Treetop Walkway! I still wish they could fix the lift up though!!

I confess I did have to stage this shot - the conker was lying on a patch of bare earth just out of the sun - till I gently nudged it with my toe!!

Still slightly misty, dew on the grass but the light was quite bright.
View through the trees to the Temperate House.

I always thought these were Autumn Crocus - but this time I read the sign, they are actually Giant Meadow Saffron! They were glorious in the sun - but a bit flattened from the previous day's heavy rain - but this is taken from right above, with the macro setting again.

There was so much fungi around - I have never seen it at Kew (probably just a timing thing) - but it had obviously flourished in the previous many wet days!! And so many different kinds.

This was weird growing round the root of the tree.

Oh, look - twins! how sweet.

This one nearly spread in a big ring - a fairy ring?? Never seen one before!

Think this is my favourite - it was close to the edge of a path so I knelt right down to take it as close to ground level as I could (I did think about lying down....)

The trees are just beginning to turn - I think the rain after some warm days helps! (Who needs Tim's cruise to Boston, eh!) 

Love the shadows of the treees right across the grass, towards the Palm House (back) 

How blue does the sky look! It wasn't this blue really, it's just I was taking towards the sun right up into the sky - this is the top of the entrance to theTemperate House

Close up of the bark of a palm trunk in the Temperate House. Loved the pattern in the sunshine.

Love the reds and purples here, this was outside the side entrance of the Waterlily House.

(sorry about the "blogger gaps" between the photos - they don't show up till the post goes live....they look perfectly spaced as I type.... good old blogger)

Kew - September sunshine

I know, I know - Kew Gardens again!!   But I love it there, it's close - I can get there in an hour by train (even allowing for changing at Clapham Junction) - and I have a newly renewed season ticket so it only costs the train fare - and it was a nice sunny morning. It's also just about the only 'proper' exercise I get, walking at Kew!

So, yesterday morning, there I was again. In fact, the first few were left on the film in the camera from my last trip - but I love this 'frothy' stuff so had to include it,

along with this cluster of Aganpanthus - not sure what the white flowers behind it are though, but loved the contrast. They were very perfumed, but surely it's too late for jasmine??
I was deliberately focussing on the white, to blur the blue, (I was going for shapes and patterns last time, remember because - apart from this- there wasn't much colour).

So, on to yesterday. Thanks to all the rain we had in Surrey over the last couple of weeks, the grass - and the trees themselves - were looking lush and fresh, just ripe for photography!The sun was shining through the leaves on this tree, it was glorious - although I should have probably closed in more on the leaves than include so much background.

The Palm House peaking through the trees!

I staggered up the stairs to the Treetop Walkway - the views ARE worth it, but it kills me - I wish they could get the lift sorted out, I don't mind walking down, but UP is - urgh! hard work- my calves ache today, I'm blaming the spiral stairs.

From the Walkway, I went into the Temperate House - it was quite empty, so got some good shots 'people-less!' I could pretend it was my own glasshouse....

Peering through the giant ferns! Had to move sharpish from here, a keeper came with his hose to spray them with water..... so I went up the stairs to the higher walkway round the top of the glasshouse to peer DOWN for a change!

This is a bit overgrown, yes?!

I'd love to do some of these in black and white, (I suppose if I bought Photoshop I could fiddle with them myself) as I think the patterns and shapes of the struts and windows would look great in black and white.   I used to really enjoy black and white photography - my ex had some darkroom equipment at one time and we used to develop our own b/w films, it was great.

Love the misty effect - it was proper hot in this part of the glasshouse! but I quite like the effect on these palms, from the steamed up lens! 

At this point my film ran out as I was heading towards the Waterlily house so those pics are now on another part-used film in the camera and will have to wait for the next trip!  That's one drawback of film cameras and I can't afford to upgrade my camera to a digital one (I was looking at the prices when I went to pick up these pictures today, I need to win the lottery for the type of camera and extra lenses I'd want!!)

Hope you enjoyed these ones, anyhow.