Time for Kew

Wow, it has been ages since I got to Kew - mainly due to the lousy weather we've been having! However, no rain forecast and no lunchtime football now the season is over, meant yesterday I could go to Kew for the first time since March.

I wanted to see the floral Olympic ring display for myself - last time I went they had just prepared the circles ready - and it's a shame you can't see it from above (except on flight to Heathrow of course!) but they look pretty impressive....

They are set in the grass in front of The Orangery, (which is now a restaurant).

The Waterlily House - no clever special effects here, just the heat misting my lens!!

All the rain has made the greens everywhere really ZING!

 The grounds were alive with the calls of the peacocks - and this one was enjoying a rest on a bench...

Preening and grooming for a lady friend hiding somewhere in the bushes, she was nowhere in sight...

Everything is growing tall!

And outside the Princess of Wales greenhouse, the bright Californian Poppies (some of my favourites) make a grand contrast to the glass.

Crouching down low for a bird's eye view...

The summer exhibition this year features a sculptor called David Nash who is working on various installations - some are in place all around the Gardens.....

 or inside the Palm House.....

Growth on a tree trunk....

This is where he works during the week, in the Wood Quarry, using naturally fallen trees or ones that have died and had to be felled.  It will be interesting to go back and see what's new next time!

Beautiful Spring day at Kew

Saturday dawned bright and sunny -so it was Kew (just for a change - I hear you asking "doesn't she go anywhere else?" Answer - not often... must rectify that this year)

Anyhow, I went 2 weeks ago, but it was a dull day and I didn't finish the whole roll of film - so these first few are from then- the daffodils were fully out (going over now, in lots of areas)

 Daffodils along the Broad Walk - these are past their best now.

Early magnolia blossom

Local college collage work on display in the Palm House (didn't check to see if she was still there this week!)

 On to this last Saturday - the sky was so blue (especially when you take your pics in the right direction!)

Spring bedding display  outside the Palm House.

Olympic rings - obviously they're preparing for a special summer display! I'll keep an eye on it...

 I've said before how much I love the architectural structure of the mature trees - I think in a way they look better without leaves!

Blossom with the Palm House  in the background.

Glory of the Snow - a beautiful blue carpet coming along nicely!

That spring bedding outside the Palm House again

Another gnarled old tree!

Fallen blossom and bulbs under the trees.

I should have got these yesterday but the printer at Jessops went wrong - I was lucky to get both lots tonight - I arrived at 5.15 after work and they'd only done one film - and not put them on CD - but they stayed to run the second one through and do the CD whilst I did my shopping next door in the supermarket - so that is good service and here they are! It meant they were late shutting so I thank them for that!

Not sure when I'll get back to Kew - having my hair cut next Saturday - the week after that is Easter and I suspect I'll be down at Mum's decorating (not spoken to my brother yet about Easter plans) and the week after that is Ally Pally so it could be a month before I can go again (yikes!!)

Thanks for looking.

Kew's Tropical Extravangaza - Feb 18th 2012

Early February each year for a month, Kew puts on a TropicalExtravangaza display - orchids and bromelliads and other lush plants - in the Prince of Wales glasshouse, and I was determined to get along again this time.  It's the first visit I've managed to Kew this year, what with one thing and another.  Yesterday was ok weather-wise (till I got home!) - we even saw some sunshine...

This is the first hanging display as you walk in 

round to the waterlily pond - love how they make them look as if they are floating on the water.

they'd just been watering them!!

There were also some commission sculptures of various tropical funghi - these are funghi, though they look a bit suggestive....!

 And these are demonstrating how the seeds float through the air for pollination.  These were gorgeous!

And they'd died some of the orchids blue!  There were warnings about careful watering, in the gift shop (and that when they re-flower they will only be white!)

After I'd feasted my eyes on these beauties for a while, it was outside (crikey, what a shock the difference in temperature was... it was soooo windy yesterday and cold - whilst inside it was of course steamy hot and misty)

 Anyhow, there were signs of spring - snowdrops on the hill

 I love how the bare tree branches frame my photos and the trees are so architectural at this time of year.

 See, I told you the sun came out!

Crocus and others (couldn't get close enough to read all the names)

I love to get down low - I was tempted to lie on the path but it wasn't completely dry so I just knelt and crouched as low as I could get.

The crocus carpet is looking fabulous already.

And some more of the structural trees taken into the sun hiding behind a cloud - time to go home before the rain! (I made it!)
You can see the orchids till the 4th March!

Kew - two trips one post!

Hi, hope you are well.
I had one last Christmas present to buy and yesterday took myself off to Kew to do so - with my camera, naturally!

I realised also that I haven't shared the pictures of the last time I went in the middle of November - so there are some from that time, too - the last of the autumn colour. Yesterday was pretty cold and frosty and the sky which started out blue - turned to rain.... so there aren't many from yesterday (I was just keen to finish the film..)

The treetop walkway is rusting beautifully and I love the shapes.

view from the top. It was sunny in November!

Back on the ground - looking up into the trees.

Yesterday - the frost was still on the ground (and it was slippy walking!) Love these dogwoods.

View across the lake in front of the Palm House - "my" fountain..  it even  looks cold!

This was a similar view a month ago, with the lovely rusty reds and browns.



Not sure when I'll get back to Kew - obviously not before Christmas - possibly the 31st if the weather and the trains allow!

Happy Christmas!