Early morning walk (Coombe Wood)

A lovely bright morning with a light frost. Plants and rooves were steaming in the sun.

The gardener was clearing leaves. 

Frosty areas where the sun hadn't yet reached. 

Liquid amber tree.

I met the gardener again when he was clearing leaves near the banana trees. He told me he would be cutting the banana trees down and putting their winter protection on later today. I couldn't get in among the leaves to get a last photo of the flowers but the gardener held some of the smaller branches back with the nozzle of the leaf blowing machine so I could get in to take a photo.

While we were chatting I noticed this lovely wavy leaf

and these three all nestling into each other.

Here's the other flower.

Amazing display of callicarpa berries. 

Sunlight through the trees. 

Lovely sweet earthy scent around here. 

Sunlight through leaves.

Spindleberries. 

Frosty lawn. 

Dahlia pod covered in loops of webby threads dripping with sparkling drops of melted frost. (Orange of the gardeners jacket to the right. He was emptying bins and picking up litter.)

 Red acer.

Beech.

 Assorted trees. Gorgeous colours against clear blue sky. 

Areas of unmelted frost. 

 Sunlit pampas grass looking like cascades of icicles.

Clusters of dripping seed pods in the sun. 

Back towards the entrance gate where the plants and rooves were still steaming.

Pond Cottage hedge and roof steaming.

The hops are all hanging droopily now. 

Flowerpots.(I liked the patterns and colour contrasts.) 

I wondered if the gardener was cutting the banana trees down yet and what would happen to the banana flowers so headed off for a look. If I hadn't made that decision I would have missed seeing the sunlight through these steaming plants.

Different angles as I moved round slowly making my way towards the banana trees.

Yes the gardener was now working on the banana trees. I asked what would happen to what he cuts down and whether I could have one of the flowers. The gardener cut one for me and then asked if I'd like the other as well. Yes please!

When I got back to the gate the plants were still steaming. 

In the opposite direction the pond was incredibly clear and the reflections were perfect!

Home again and here are the banana flowers with a 50p coin to show scale. (Look at those tiny bananas! Very cute)

Looking closer. 

I will be cutting the flower in half later on to see what it looks like inside. 

Thank you very much for joining me.