Ormeley Lodge lions

Lions are plentiful in the large rear garden at Ormeley Lodge. These two seem determined to protect the bench behind them from interlopers enjoying the open garden day.

Rutland Lodge from Petersham House

The rear garden at Petersham House is an odd shape due to the acquisition and disposal of plots of land over many years and the creation of Petersham Nurseries. Part of the garden, mostly dedicated to vegetables, stretches all the way back to Rutland Lodge.

Bench at Ormeley Lodge

The smart white bench stand out but also very much worth noticing are the neat lawn, the avenue of trees, the
high brick wall and the enticing green door that hints of a new realm to explore on the other side.

Box hedge at Ormeley Lodge

The most attractive feature of the garden at Ormeley Lodge is the way that it is divided up into different parts so that it feels more like a collection of gardens rather than just one. The first such garden that you encounter on visiting the house is this hedge in the front.

Walled border at Petersham House

The rear border at Petersham House is divided into sections each is planted slightly differently but all benefit from facing almost due South and from being protected by the comforting and pleasing wall.

Long border at Petersham House

The most attractive feature of the garden at Petersham House is the long border that leads off the main lawn, starts with a grand gate and leads to a seat with a superb view all the way back to the house.

Gate at Petersham House

The top of the gate to the long border in the rear garden of Petersham House harks back to an age when this was an important gateway passed through on the start of great journeys.

Petersham House

Petersham House looks like several of its neighbours but there is nothing wrong with that when you have retained most of your Georgian features and proportions. The first floor balcony may be a little fussy but it is fairly unobtrusive and so is easily forgiven.

From the garden at Stokes House

One of the main features of the garden at Stokes House is this wooden structure that divides the garden nicely and also provides space for a smart border.

Garden at Stokes House

This is the North-West corner of the garden at Stokes House with the smart white cottages in Ham Street at the back peering over the wall to enjoy the view.

Cygnets on the water

I promise that this will be the last photograph of the new cygnets for a while, at least until they do something particularly cute again, but I wanted to share this picture of the seven of them on the water.

Hand and Flower returns

The make-over of the Hand and Flower on Ham Common is now all but complete and there is no sign that it used to be the Legless Frog. The new cream and green finish is fresh and welcoming. I've heard mixed reviews since it reopened but it is far busier than the Frog was so they must be doing something right.

Stokes House from the garden

A chance discovery of a garden open day at Stokes House gave me the rare opportunity to see more of the house as well as the garden. From this angle the house looks far more impressive than it does from the more usual Ham Street.

More swans and ducks

I am taking a rest from the swans and ducks on Ham Pond for the moment (there will be more pictures before too long!) and offer instead this picture of swans and ducks from the mural in Ashburnham Road.

Teddington Lock Footbridge

Not only does Teddington Lock Footbridge provide the only pedestrian access to Ham from the West but it is also a very charming structure in its own right.

The bridge has two spans and this is the one that connects Teddington to the small island. Here we are looking towards Teddington with glimpses of The Anglers to the left of the bridge and of the slipway and boathouse to the right.


Looking back the other way from Teddington towards the island we can see that it is not as far above the river as the other span as only small boats, such as those shown, need access to the moorings just below the weir.

Blooming Ham Lands

Ham Lands is a large continuous mostly wild area that follows the large curve of the river from River Lane, Petersham in the North around to the Hawker Centre in the South. It is the best part of Ham to go for a walk at any time of the year but in Late Spring and Early Summer it is especially magic.

This is the view of Ham Lands from Riverside Drive, somewhere near Croft Way, where the tall grasses and flowers entice you to get lost in the wilderness like pastoral sirens.


A little further South the trees edge closer to the road to join the compelling chorus and only the most stone hearted can resist the temptation to leave urbanity behind to frolic, cavort and romp in the Arcadian paradigm.