Kew, sunny (eventually)

 Off as usual to Kew early doors...started out grey and decidedly chilly

they've stripped the parterre beds ready for the next season's planting so it was looking very bare

the pots along the pond not yet empty

or the round beds at either end 

heading down the Broad Walk next

and joining the alliums another favourite, poppies

and geraniums flowering too 

Kew Palace from the Broad Walk 

I really like these box containers at the Orangery

and the dark irises are stunning

larger alliums

this cone reminded me of a pineapple

as I was taking this picture we saw a young fox with her cub running across the path along the way a little - too fast for a photo

the mum then went back over the other side of the path from where they'd come,  and a few minutes another young cub emerged

alpine house from the end of the grass garden

in the Duke's garden, some of the peonies have opened since last week

gateway back into the grass garden

wildflowers at the end of the evolution garden - this is the bed outside the bonsai house rather than the long border outside the  student plots which are the other side of the path

it's starting to look good

in the evolution garden 

lots of bees on the poppies

scilla, cuban lily at the end of the evolution garden 

peonies, sun trying to come out 

lots of roses on the other half of the evolution garden 

along the far wall of the evolution garden, these beautiful irises - love the colours

ox eye daisies in the rock garden - another favourite 

bck at the other end of the evolution garden - looking at the pergola 

peonies, pausing to chat to Patrick and Joyce, fellow regulars 

before heading back

past the pond to get our free tea, and a cake

pain au raisin today

yes, had my hair done since last week, cut and newly re-coppered!  

sun finally out enough for sunglasses, still in my hoodie though

next we headed past the end of the Palm House -

as we came round the rose garden...

a group of goslings - lots of different sizes, so presumably from different parents and broods.... came up to us

Kim had some seed

cute!

we were heading here before it got too busy with people interacting with it 

then we headed a bit further along to the lake

loads of irises all round the edges 

seem to be more than previous years 

it was much nicer now, and finally warmer 

dappled shade on the side of the lake

reflections in yellow...

we sat under a tree on the other side of the crossing 

there are some little wooden seats (part of the Of the Oak thing)

it's quite comfy

the ducks and geese were chasing about on the water.... time to try and get some action shots....

not particularly successfully!

the light was playing on the branches 

in the woodland, we found Goldie  - we've not caught sight of him for a while.

think it must be moulting season, his feathers look duller than normal  

I think these are out of order but I want to get this finished before the Cup Final starts....

bird of paradise in the Temperate House 

there are some new pots in the octogans dividing the TH

and this 

was creating great shadows!

passionflower

strawflowers in the Davies exploration house,

part of it was being used for a talk, so we couldn't see the main display of them

back outside, the Mediterranean garden 

the tulip tree near the rose garden,  not so windy today

white wisteria at the waterlily house still going strong

it was very humid in here!

then in the Princess of Wales

this is another flowering cactus that's hard to get the timing right for!

never seen this flower before

from the side

the flowers on this (normally red and yellow) have gone, now it looks like sweetcorn!

pelican flower, another smelly one. 

california poppies outside the alpine house

in the alpine house

then back past the pond

now that the sun was out the irises looked so much nicer 

I sat down for an arty shot... 

that didn't really work 

I wanted both in focus really!

finishing with the gunnera

before making a somewhat longwinded way home (engineering works) 

thanks for looking -  next week is forecast damp, if not wet... I know the gardens need it but preferably not on a Kew day...

I do have some days off before that, so watch this space!