Bluebells - Kew

I know, I know, you all think I only go to Kew. True.....

Yesterday, Saturday was no exception. After spending Friday watching a truly magical Royal Wedding on TV all day, I felt the need for some excercise! Fortunately, once again, the weather co-operated and off I went, nice and early of course.

I treated myself to a coffee and a gorgeous raspberry muffin on the way - breakfast!

The sun was out, and the sky blue - a fairly pale blue, but blue all the same.  I knew from the Kew website that the bluebells were in full show so headed off there first - although as the conservation area where they are, is the furthest from the entrance I use, "first" is not a very quick place to get to.

It is so pretty and peaceful here, the lovely dappled shade - a cool wind was blowing but the air was warm.

I love Queen Charlotte's cottage, nestling away quietly, out of the main walkways, and indeed yesterday I only saw one other couple when I was here (it was still early!) That's how I like Kew... I would LOVE to get access for sunrise before anyone else is in - but that ain't gonna happen!

I couldn't persuade my camera to focus on the cottage, it was determined to focus on this gorgeous branch instead!

 Love the pattern of the brickwork on the cottage.

 From the bluebells, I walked back past the Temparate house - just loved the glimpses of the plants inside, thorugh the glass. You don't get this view on a cloudy day!

View of the Temperate House from the Treetop Walkway.

 Close up of the horse (?) chestnut flowers on the trees from the walkway.

Back at ground level now but shooting upwards. Not sure what this tree is - I need an identification guide with me!

Round to the Palm House now, the spring display is looking fabulous (see the next photo) but I loved these tulips in the circular bed on the other side of the pathway by the Palm House.  Got some more in the camera on the next film that I hope will be better, but this is for now!

Magnolias in flower at Kew

I follow Kew Gardens on Twitter and saw a link to their Flikr group during the week - when it was all blue skies and sunny - that the magolias are blooming - so decided to go yesterday. Natch, it was much less sunny (like it rained a bit) and the skies weren't blue - but the magnolias WERE flowering! 

Am having a few problems with my SLR 35mm camera so think I may upgrade soon to a digital one....
Anyhow, it wasn't particularly cold and the trees were pretty!

This is a blue carpet - Glory of the Snow it's called - I can't remember, spell or pronounce the Latin name!

I did what I have often longed to - knelt as low down on the path as I could - practically lying -  luckily it was still dry here! to get a bird's eye view.

This would have looked so much better with a bright blue sky behind it (or photo shop on my pc!)

I did get a bit carried away, this is just a few of the frames I shot!

 I missed the best of this tree last year!

And when I went into the Princess of Wales glasshouse to escape the shower, this little fellow was out enjoying the steamy atmosphere.

It's meant to be nearly Spring

but it was very cold yesterday at Kew!! However, I wanted a last chance to see the 2011 Orchid "extravaganza" before they dismantle it today, so off I went.  Warmed myself up at Clapham Junction waiting for the connection with some hot chocolate (and a chance to "borrow" some wooden stirrers from the cafe....Does anyone else do that - I have a handy few now - they are so useful to us crafters!)

Ok, so where was I?  It was also a very dull, cloudy grey-skied day, so I knew the photos wouldn't be the best.  However, a few of them are worth showing here.

"When" I win the lottery (ha ha) and upgrade my camera to a digital one,I have promised myself a really good macro lens for close ups!

A host of golden daffodils??

I love how these drifts of crocus seem to go miles into the distance. I was cold coming out of the glasshouse so didn't follow them all the way!

I loved how the bare trees seemed to change the landscape totally - I don't think I've noticed Kew looking so open like this across the lake before  - something seems missing. (they have cut back the dogwood along the edge of that path at the water's edge, that must be it)

And this vista looked very open too.


Hopefully next time I go, it will be a)sunny and b) warmer!  Sorry about all the big gaps, I had some trouble loading the photos and moving them around today!




Ok, got to grab a quick lunch then it's Livepool v Man U - fingers crossed!!

Kew again - orchids

Each February - March, for the last few years, Kew has had a fabulous orchid display in the Princess of Wales glasshouse - and this year's started yesterday (though it takes them about 2-3 weeks to install!)

So, bright and early (except that it was very grey and very very windy) I set off. I was at the gates first (little things please me!) and made a beeline for the hothouse.

The theme this year, is "rising from the rainforest floor" and inside the main entrance to the glasshouse is a "burnt forest" display with charred wood and smoke rising (fake, obviously!)

This year, they've got the sounds of the forest too with birds and animal sounds played around the display - it was excellent.

When I was there, I didn't think the colours of the main display (left) were as vibrant as last year, but looking at the pics, I think it must have been my eyes - I wasn't wearing my glasses as they kept misting up!

This is the "rising from the floor" display - it looks amazing IRL.

 I zoomed in on the top of the display.

The upper levels of the glasshouse they decorate with arches of orchids - these WERE bright!

 Had to make sure I rotated the photo the right way...

Outside, there were signs that spring is on the way!! Snowdrops coming out.

 Not sure what the yellow flowers are behind these snowdrops, but they looked great together.

 And I had to take another photo of "my" fountain - because the wind was blowing the water so hard, I wanted to try and capture it. (If I knew which setting on the damn camera was meant to blur the action, I'd have used that too, just for effect.   Must try to find the handbook one day!)

Elsewhere it was just grey and bare trees - but the shapes were fantastic!

Thanks for looking!

It was a cold and frosty Boxing Day.....

Just got back from Christmas at my Mum's - I took my (very basic) digital camera but didn't think about a spare memory card so.....

The journey down was fine - cold - but the trains were on time - but still very snowy.....
  
 This is the vineyard at Dorking at the foot of Boxhill - come autumn they will be bursting with grapes again...

 Boxing Day - heavy frost in Mum's garden.... and this was 10.30.... it stayed all day.

The deserted beach (Pagham) - more or less had it to myself - even the beach was frosty (see pics on "stampingbyh"

The frost doesn't really show up, but the wood here (it's the launchway for the yachts at Pagham yacht club) was very frosty - and so were the pebbles!!  I can't ever remember seeing frost on the beach here before....  I am sure it has been, just I haven't been there....

 Pagham Pram Race - an annual Boxing Day pub crawl round Pagham..... never had a camera with me before...

 Sadly the memory card was full by now, missed the best "pram" too - a stage coach with cowboys and indians.....