Trees removed in Parkleys

This small patch of land, where Parkleys meets Ham Farm Road, has had some adventures in recent months, including the removal of a line of trees in front of the fence on the right which was then replaced. 

The latest change is the removal of two mature fir trees at the far end of the plot (one of the stumps can be seen in the middle) leaving the area almost empty of vegetation.

Let us hope that there is a more positive story for this plot still to come.

Long grass

I do not understand Richmond Council's approach to verge mowing with areas that were left to grow previously being cut this year, e.g. Broughton Avenue, so I was pleased to see some grass left to grow naturally in Sandy Lane.

GG LOC

It is not that unusual to come across a film crew locally but this is the first time that I have done so in Ashfield Close. 

It was the "GG LOC" sign at the entrance to Ceadar Heights that alerted me to the filming but I was intending to check up on those roads anyway.

The Walled Garden

This is quite a modest sign is terms of size and colour but it is sufficient to its purpose of confirming that the gate next to is indeed that to The Walled Garden at the entrance to Sudbrook Gardens.

Temporary repairs

A few weeks ago I mentioned that several of the posts placed at the entrance to Great South Avenue on the north side of Ham Common had been destroyed by incompetent drivers and since then it looks as though at least two of the posts have been reinstated and at least one of those has been knocked out again.

It all seems rather pointless and I will not mention these posts again unless Richmond Council get serious and use a more serious deterrent for bad driving.

I have only mentioned them at all because they are a visual measure of the threats pedestrians face constantly from bad drivers whether crossing the road or just walking along the pavement.

Red bricks

There are two gates into the Ham Close redevelopment site and this is the view through the one at the Ashburnham Road end of the development. Luckily the gate was open as I walked past this time revealing that red bricks are being used in this block, whereas yellow bricks are being used at the other end of the site. 

This use of mixed colours should break up the development visually making it more interesting and much less oppressive.

Bute Gardens

Bute Gardens comprises the first few houses in Sudbrook Lane, e.g. an example of a formal address here is 1A Bute Gardens, Sudbrook Lane, Richmond TW10 7AZ, and this decidedly less formal sign marks its presence. 

New gate for Old Vicarage

When the entrance to The Old Vicarage in Petersham was rebuilt in 2016 it gained a lovely front gate only for that gate to be hidden by ugly solid black metal sheets in 2024, so the band new gate is an improvement on what was there immediately before it but not on what was there before that.

New gate to Langham House

This new, and decidedly modern, gate is to the side entrance of Langham House. Elsewhere it would look great but, for me, it looks a little out of place in an old wall in front of an old building and it would be better in black which is the dominant colour of gates in that area.

Still, it is a nice gate and I dare say that it will grow on me.