Little Free Library in Lock Road

The first Little Free Library in the area is in Ashburnham Road and now there is a second one in Lock Road.

Long grass and more

The linear part through Royal Park Gate is looking wonderful in spring and the many small flowers amongst the grasses (zoom in to see the better) are attracting bees and butterflies,

Unfortunately in the time between me taking this photo and then posting it, Kingston Council has brutally mown this area and a misguided resident has swept up the loose grass to prevent the organic matter from enriching the soil.

It used to look natural and lovely and now it looks like the managed garden of somebody who has no interest in wildlife.

Work underway at St Richards

St Richards Church in Ashburnham Road is, I would argue, the most iconic building in Ham so it is good to see the work begin to repair it after much planning and fundraising.

I believe that the plan is to replace the copper roof with a zinc one so it will look different when the work is complete but it will retain its shape and still be just as iconic.

Wrong place, wrong time

My brief investigation of signs on Ham Common ends with this one by Ham Ponds. The two things to notice are that it is not on a formal noticeboard, despite there being several nearby, and it is out of date. 

Given that HAPA&AG organise litter picks in that area every month it is a little surprising that it has not been removed yet.

Undulations

The landscaping of Wates Estate is a constant joy and I wanted to highlight this area, approaching the entrance to TYM from the south, because unlike most of the landscaped areas it is not flat. The recent mowing helps to show the contours but the best way to appreciate the undulations is to walk past it.

Lack of Information Board

Richmond Council went through a spell of introducing new signs for open spaces several years ago (I had a little moan then) and now I am moaning about the way that ones with display areas are updated.

This board on the southern tip of Ham Common is close to a Community Board on Ham Parade which may explain why it is not updated regularly, though that is no excuse for the lack of eye-catching content. I find it hard to believe that anyone ever reads these notices. 

 

The largest notice on display is a text-heavy announcement for last year's Ham Fair.

Corner

I think that it is fair to say that The Hive (the new community centre being built on Ham Village Green) has provoked mixed reactions and while I am not a firm fan I can see nothing wrong with it either. This corner, pointing across the Green, is particularly good with its subtle details and use of colour.

The Cottage grows

The extension to The Cottage on Ham Common seems to be substantial, from the limited amount of it that can be from the road.

Garden meadow

I had been watching the new building at 25 Ham Farm Road for quite some time and while my attention was mostly towards the rather nice house the new front garden is also a worthy addition to the road. 

I saw the meadow section arrive, like the lawn, pre-sown in turf and wondered how it would turn out and only a few months later spring has done its work and produced something delightful. When far too many front gardens are being given over to hard surfaces it is really good to see a garden like this.