Back to Kew - 22nd May

Well, once again I went to Kew yesterday - beautiful sunshine, lots of people but I was there as they opened as usual so managed to find some quiet spots with not a soul in sight.

However, there was a part-finished film in my camera from the last time I went, 3 weeks ago, and I can't resist showing you some of those photos cos there are some stunning trees full of blossom:

and some more stunning bedding displays.

So, on to yesterday. The azaleas were looking great in the early morning sun, and the smell was incredible.

I have mentioned before how much I love the architecture at Kew - this is the Temperate House. It looks so much cleaner and brighter - not sure if they have had the brushes and mops out, or if it's the sun!

I approached the Palm House from the back this week, and the sun was shining through the building, looking glorious.  I waited for someone who was walking round the top observation level (inside), to get out of the way, but kind of wish I'd taken one now!

I love how you can see so many of the plants from the outside!

This is me, taking my reflection picture, you can see right through to the other side of the Palm House and "my" fountain!

Inside the Palm House, shooting up into the roof, through the giant palms - just gorgeous!

They really are BIG plants in here!! Next week, Kew's summer programme of events starts and they're concentrating on Biodiversity this year, the Palm House will have the sounds of the jungle playing amongst the plants!  Should be good.

After a sit down in the shade of a big tree, when I treated myself to a bottle of cold water and a rather scrummy blueberry muffin (!) which a robin wanted to share with me, hopping right up onto the table (sadly my camera was out of reach on the floor at the time and I couldn't get to it without startling him!) I went round to the other side of the lake outside the Palm House, where a swan is nesting with her cygnets (Dad was standing guard just out of camera!)

As they have a lot of students at Kew taking all kinds of horticultural qualifications, they have a large area of "practice beds" and these stunning peonies were in some of those.

Wild flower area around the Temple of Aeolus where a few weeks ago there were hundreds of daffodils - So wispy and frothy (much more so in the flesh!)  They were waist high!

Well, I hope you've enjoyed another day out at Kew - join me again some time!!

I have had a devil of a job with blogger - it kept putting the photos where I didn't want them!! Hope there aren't too many huges gaps between them all.