Kew - well it is Saturday!

 Ten am opening today, until the 1 May when the earlies finally return!  This confused a lot of visitors who arrived at 9 thinking they could get in still at 9.  (I was just early!)   Finally.....

it was mild, and trying to be sunny (not very hard to start with!)

the urns along the pond still looking good, although some tulips have been dead-headed 

the fountain making a nice reflection

bed at top of Broad Walk 

heading down the Broad Walk 

the alliums develop so fast

as you know they are one of my favourites! 

even though the sun wasn't really out, the tulip petals do pop!

further along near the Hive, lots more alliums coming 

love the red and orange tulips inter-mingling 

round bed at the far end of the Broad Walk 

as we walked along towards Kew Palace, we saw these huge peonies...

size of tea cups

and the white ones were as big

stripey iris leaves

Kew Palace hiding being a tree

the Judas tree near Kew Palace

laburnum arch

it's come out more in the 48 hours since I was here!! 

I went down into the sunken garden to look at the lovely iris

curtain of laburnum!

still no sun to make it even better!

we followed the path towards the Elizabeth gate 

and their tulip beds....

with added alliums!

at this end of Kew, a few flowers left on the smaller magnolias

bluebells along the path

stone pine

as we reached the grass garden the alpine house looks so sparkling clean still 

ostrich plume fern  - evolution garden 

there seems to have been a second flush of pasqueflowers (yes since Thursday)

the peony garden is exploding 

love these whirli-gig like flowers

the acid green of the euphorbia set off the peonies nicely

wild garlic under trees

mahonia - I said they look like sugared almonds!

in the Princess of Wales now,

the flowers on these cacti are further developed 

upper level 

checking on the titan arum 

not a huge difference I don't think.  it will go all of a sudden!  

wood pigeon in the wisteria 

the wild meadow round the Hive is really coming on 

across the Broad Walk and some more magnolias 

lilacs 

heading towards the lake (kind of)

Manna Ash, gloriously soft flowers 

me checking out the name of the tree!  

acers 

rhododendrons 

finally a bit of light to illuminate the acer leaves

at the lake, mandarin duck.  was on the wrong side of him for the best shot but as I moved he jumped into the lake and swam off

greylag babies

as we reached the far side of the lake crossing, there was a group of visitors looking under the tree..  we soon saw why

Egyptian geese with their 8 babies

and Canada's with their 6 (I think)

both sets were sitting close together, happy as Larry

little bundles of cute!!  

just a few feet apart, see 

but we were thirsty and headed off for refreshments 

past the Treetop walkway,  and more wild flowers 

we did get sidetracked in the Davies Exploration house briefly

we went to the Pavilion cafe, but - once again, they had no cake - 2 pain au chocolate left,  but neither of us wanted them - it was just 12, and they told us that's when they start serving lunch!

the sun was out now and it was gorgeous outside 

a quick walk through part of the Temperate House

then it was tulip time!

I will get carried away again,  and make no apologies

sometimes the middles as they fade are as good as the new ones

lots of getting down low 

right down low for this one - the grass is growing up around the tulips so fast but they leave it for weeks,

ceanothus in the Mediterranean garden 

Judas tree

euphorbia remnants! 

Judas tree from the bottom of the steps

with King William's Temple in the background.

I left Kim heading for the Woodland walk at this point and made my way home.

Next week, finally , the early 8am openings start so it's up at 5am and out... see you then, can't wait!! 

thanks for looking.