diff --git a/GPy/kern/kern.py b/GPy/kern/kern.py
index a09a94f3..8db28e0a 100644
--- a/GPy/kern/kern.py
+++ b/GPy/kern/kern.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from ..core.parameterized import Parameterized
 from parts.kernpart import Kernpart
 import itertools
 from parts.prod import Prod as prod
+from matplotlib.transforms import offset_copy
 
 class kern(Parameterized):
     def __init__(self, input_dim, parts=[], input_slices=None):
@@ -101,6 +102,8 @@ class kern(Parameterized):
                 xticklabels.extend([r"$\mathrm{{{name}}}\ {x}$".format(name=p.name, x=i) for i in np.arange(len(ard_params))])
                 x0 += len(ard_params)
         x = np.arange(x0)
+        transOffset = offset_copy(ax.transData, fig=fig,
+                                  x=0., y= -2., units='points')
         for bar in bars:
             for patch, num in zip(bar.patches, np.arange(len(bar.patches))):
                 height = patch.get_height()
@@ -111,15 +114,19 @@ class kern(Parameterized):
                 if patch.get_extents().height <= t.get_extents().height + 2:
                     va = 'bottom'
                     c = 'k'
-                ax.text(xi, height, "${xi}$".format(xi=int(num)), color=c, rotation=0, ha='center', va=va)
+                ax.text(xi, height, "${xi}$".format(xi=int(num)), color=c, rotation=0, ha='center', va=va, transform=transOffset)
         # for xi, t in zip(x, xticklabels):
         #    ax.text(xi, maxi / 2, t, rotation=90, ha='center', va='center')
         # ax.set_xticklabels(xticklabels, rotation=17)
         ax.set_xticks([])
         ax.set_xlim(-.5, x0 - .5)
         if title is '':
-            ax.legend(bbox_to_anchor=(0., 1.02, 1., .102), loc=3,
-                      ncol=max(2, len(bars)), mode="expand", borderaxespad=0.)
+            mode = 'expand'
+            if len(bars) > 1:
+                mode = 'expand'
+            ax.legend(bbox_to_anchor=(0., 1.02, 1., 1.02), loc=3,
+                      ncol=len(bars), mode=mode, borderaxespad=0.)
+            fig.tight_layout(rect=(0, 0, 1, .9))
         else:
             ax.legend()
         return ax