Grazing sheep

The garden at Montrose House is most notable for the collection of unusual object in it, such as this sheep happily grazing next to the tall wall that borders the road.

Varied leaves

For some reason the GPS was not working on my camera when I took this picture so I am not sure in which of the Petersham Open Gardens it was taken in, though, judging by the time that it was taken, it is probably in Rosebank.

Not that the location really matters - I just see it as a nice picture taken in the Ham area, and that's all that it needs to be to qualify for this blog.

Update: Thanks to Gisela (see comments) I now know that this was taken in Petersham Nurseries.

Defending the plants at Petersham Nurseries

One corner of Petersham Nurseries defiantly holds the tea drinkers and diners at bay, and that's the corner that I love with its jumble of flowers, shrubs, pots and furniture all framed by two long greenhouses.

Flowers for sale

Taking a break from the extended tour that was Petersham Open Gardens 2012 I headed in to Petersham Nurseries for a cup of tea, which, sadly, is its main purpose these days.

Checking up on the place normally leads to the discovery that the tea rooms have crept a little further in to the nursery so it was good to see the flowers fight a strong defence with a brilliant display of colour.

Bright lion in a dark corner

Wandering in to the dark corners behind Rosebank reveals a colourful lion who really deserves to be out in the limelight more.

Small pond at Rosebank

The garden at Rosebank is less grandiose than some of its neighbours and it makes up for this by having some nice features, such as the small pond on one side of the house. Despite its size, it is still home to lots of plants, a few fish and a couple of stationery birds.

Rosebank

Rosebank hides itself pretty well. There is a high wall all around it and the only way to approach it is via the narrow muddy path from River Lane to Petersham Nurseries where a barely-noticed discoloured sign announces the house's presence.

But it is only during the Open Gardens that you can pass through the door to see the house and gardens. We can also see how the house has grown over the years with a conservatory at the front and a large sympathetic extension at the side and back.

Petersham Lodge with flowers

My final look at the garden at Petersham Lodge (for the time-being) tries to show how well the flowers sit with the house. This is such a busy picture with the house, its windows, climbing plants, terrace, tables and chairs, hedges, pedestal and lots and lots of flowers.

Despite this apparent clutter the overall impression is one of peace and harmony. This is a place that you want to sit out in to enjoy the sunshine and appreciate the garden.

Plants and pots

The garden at Petersham Lodge creeps right up to the house filling in a few small gaps between the paving stones and some pots resting on them.

Mixed border

Obviously one of the main points of events like Petersham Open Gardens 2012 is to enjoy the Spring flowers and they were on good form at Petersham Lodge where they vied for attention in one of the flower beds next to the house.The subtle mix of colours and shapes of both the flowers and the leaves is simply gorgeous.

Petersham Lodge from the garden

The main view of the house from the garden is across the pond but I think I prefer this view from the depths of the woods where the bluebells are enjoying their time in the sun.

Pond and bridge

All the paths in the garden at Petersham Lodge lead to the pond, and rightly so because it is the main feature of the garden and it offers superb views, especially looking back to the house from the Greco-Roman folly at the far end of the pond.From there, turning your gaze slightly to the right brings the jolly bridge in to view.

Wilderness at Petersham Lodge

Amid the formal borders and neat hedges there is still plenty of space at Petersham Lodge for a bit of wilderness. It is this variety and space that makes walking around the garden there such a joy, and why it takes so long.

Put Out More Flags

Jubilee Fever has come to Ham Parade. The west side has a long line of large Union Flags arranged above the shops. The east side looks a little less patriotic with just a few flags flying.

Nursery at Petersham Lodge

Having shown a couple of close-ups of the nursery corner at Petersham Lodge it is now time to step back and look at the wider picture. The time hedges and colourful flowers are testament to the garden's beauty and the greenhouses at the back confirm that serious work is done here too.

Upright flowers

Another look at the nursery garden at Petersham Lodge just because it is pretty. I also like the rustic fence and glimpses it give you of the orchard behind.

A barrow of flowers

There is so much to admire in the garden at Petersham Lodge that it is always difficult to pick just one or two to post here. so this year I'll post several, starting with this one.

The north-east corner of the expansive garden is the working part with cold frames, vegetables and compost. There are also a few flower beds that I suspect are there to provide flowers for the house rather than for their own beauty but they are beautiful and are presented beautifully.

The dark side of The Glasshouse

The back garden at The Glasshouse is just as structural as the front garden but it is much smaller so instead of a lawn and hedges there is a pond and ferns. And while the front garden favours whites and light colours here at the back darker shades are allowed.

Front garden at The Glasshouse

The Glasshouse on River Lane is always one of the highlights of Petersham Open Gardens and so it was in 2012, even though it seems not to have changed one iota in the last two years.The grass and box hedge are kept trimmed and the trees have decided not to grow old.

The garden is violently regimented and ornamental. This is a garden for looking at rather than playing in. And that's fine as the house has two large glass walls that mean you can see the garden clearly from (almost) every room.

A pleasing mix of colours

It is no surprise that one of the reasons for going to an Open Garden is to look at flowers and there were plenty to see at Petersham Open Gardens 2012. This collection caught my eye because of its variety with a few large bright flowers complimenting the multitude of small blue ones.

Calm corner

I like this garden a lot because it does simple things very well and that makes it a good space. The pots, shrubs and climber are all modest in scale and colour letting the house show off some of its character too.

Happy Frog

There were lots of garden decorations on show at Petersham Open Gardens 2012 from, grey ducks to turquoise elephants but none were more folly that this little metal frog. It just goes to show that small and simple can be just as striking as large and complicated.