This way to Petersham Nurseries

One of the things that I try to do here is to spot things as they change, and this change is more subtle than most. The wall has been repainted and the sign for Petersham Nurseries redrawn on it but there are two small differences; the previous sign also mentioned Petersham Cafe and it had all the text in lower case.

I think that this version is better.

A new wall

The Sandy Lane end of Clifford Road has gained a new wall which, very unusually, is one of the walls to the new house being built there. Obviously this maximises the size of the house though at the cost of additional external noise.

Brompton Glass van fills the pavement

The competition to find the worst case of pavement parking is now closed, I hope!

Second porch

Last month I speculated that these two houses on Meadlands Drive were being redeveloped together but at that time only one of them had a porch. Now that the second identical porch has been installed I think the speculation is over.

LP19 ZPO

I can understand how a driver of a car this large can not know that they have gone up on to the pavement but I cannot understand why they think it is acceptable to leave it there.

VK13 ZYT blocks dropped kerb

There is space in front of VK13 ZYT yet the driver still chose to park on double yellow lines and blocking a dropped kerb.

ML12 EUR on the pavement

Another selfish driver who thinks that their convenience matters more than pedestrians'.

EJ63 VJE on the pavement

There is never a good excuse for parking on the pavement like this.

Physio Extra becomes Shockwave Clinics

I do not know if the change from Physio Extra to Shockwave Clinics is a change of ownership or a change or branding, and I do not really care which it is, the important thing for me is the impact on the physical environment.

The look of the site is OK at the moment though I wait to see if the windows will be covered in signs again.

Of more concern is the way that the site is being prepared for "Customer Parking". This is a busy stretch of pavement and having cars cross it is not a great idea.

Ham sign in Gate House Garden

The welcome refuge of Gate House Garden has gained a sign proclaiming that this is Ham. It was put there by Ham Amenities Group (HAG) and was a couple of years in the planning.

 

The signs does a pretty good job of encapsulating some of the key elements that define Ham without being overly fussy.

Curved path

Most of the front paths in Wates Estate lead straight to the front door, like the one on the right does her, so this curved path in Broughton Avenue is an exception, it may even be unique.

I have mixed feelings about this. I would generally prefer consistency but this path does have the advantage of being pretty. On balance though, I think consistency should have won here because the house is in the middle of a terrace.

More trees in Broughton Avenue

The large grassy area on the junction of Dukes Avenue and Broughton Avenue has gained some very welcome trees. Comparing this view with one from a year ago, the tree on the far right was there before and the two on the left (and there is one off further to the left) are new.

There are many grass plots like this across Ham, though not many as large as this one, and I can only hope that more of them will become home to new trees in time.

Preparing the front garden

I like the clutter that works in progress bring and I also like the expectation for what the finished results will be. I face new front gardens with trepidation as there is always the possibility that it is given over to completely to cars so I will be keeping an eye on this one in Petersham Road with fingers crossed.

Signs removed

For many years these windows to Physio Extra in Upper Ham Road were covered in advertising signs which looked out of keeping with the area so it is good news that they have gone.

My worry is that they will be replaced with new boards, just as the board by the entrance has replaced the plain green one that was there previously. My optimism come from the new planters on the other side of the entrance which may herald a more community-minded approach.

Tiled entrance

This tiled entrance to a cottage in Petersham Road is well worth looking out for, even at the risk of the badly driven cars just inches away. Petersham Road deserves to be appreciated but the narrowness and unevenness of the pavement makes that a challenge.

Paths in Petersham Lodge Woods

There is only one route through Petersham Lodge Woods so I am surprised that other paths, that lead nowhere, are so worn, presumably through extensive use.

The path from River Lane goes along the back to Petersham Lodge and then turns to the river by the garden gates. However, the path also continues straight ahead towards the formidable boundary to Petersham & Ham Sea Scouts.

And this is a path parallel to the one above that leads off the middle of the section of the main path leading to the river.

Rising walls

The walls are rising on 6 Sandy Lane and soon the floor-plan will be lost from view and any views inside the house as it is constructed will have to come through gaps left for windows. I have no idea where the windows are going to be so this may be the last internal look.

The rising walls are now the main focus of my interest as these will define the look of the new house.

Ham Scout Group

Walking along Great South Avenue it is hard to miss the new sign for Ham Scout Group, which is fine because it is bold enough to attract attention but not brash enough to spoil the scene.

It is not all good news though as the fleur-de-lys that used to decorate the front wall has gone leaving a green rectangle to mark its passing.

Update: Read the comment below for a correction.

Even more flowers

It is only a couple of weeks since I last posted a picture of the west boundary to Cassel Hospital along Upper Ham Road and it has changed again! Then there was just one planter here and now there is a row of them and they are all beautifully planted too.

Two pots

The front gardens in New Road are small and so some effort is required to make them interesting. Luckily most owners have risen to the challenge and it is a pleasing street to walk down (once you've managed to mentally blockout the parked cars). These two pots are simple and that is why they are so cheery.

Repairing Parkleys Parade

The north-east section of Ham Parade was built by Span as part of the Parkleys development and is included in Parkleys Estate Conservation Area so it is surprising that it been allowed to get so tired looking, especially when the housing blocks are being worked on all the time.

This may be about to change with the arrival of scaffolding along the whole section.

This is a typical example of the state of repair and shows why work is needed.

Jagged roof

The front part of this house that was demolished as part of its extensive rebuilding, had two pitched roofs on two extensions and these have been replaced by four pitches across one extension. I am now even more curious to see what the final results look like once the hoardings come down.

Chandelier

I try to respect people's privacy in my photos which means no pictures of people and no prying inside houses and while this picture seems to break the second rule my excuse is that this chandelier is placed next to a very large window that faces directly down Arlington Road, it's a chandelier that wants to be noticed.

Planting in the Plats

I keep going back to Ham House, and not just for the coffee. The gardens always look good and, like all good gardens, the changing seasons mean that there are different thing to enjoy each time.

The gardens are also being worked on and there is often new planting to discover, though it is not usually as obvious as this.

 

The Plats once were featureless lawns laid out in a grid behind the house and now they have shaped beds cut into them and these have been planted. 

The spaces between the pants suggest that they have been given space to grown which would mean that these beds are a permanent feature. I hope so.

Resplendent Randle

Randle Road runs for a short distance off Craig Road before ending in a turning circle so few people have a reason for going there. This is a shame because this garden deserves to be seen by more people.

Bridge repaired

On my previous walk around Ham House the bridge giving access to the tow path was firmly closed for repairs and those repairs have now been completed. The new sections of wood do look new but I think they'll soon darken with the heavy footfall that this route gets.

Garages in Back Lane

The area around these garages at the Lock Road end of Back Lane looked a mess for a while and now they have been cleared. The place looks tidy but it also looks like under-utilised and I wonder if this will be redeveloped for housing as several other similar spaces around Ham have been.

6 Oaks

Malden Oaks, the specialist school run by Kingston Council, has gained a sixth form.

It is so new that I can find out nothing about it online and the school's official website, maldenoaks.org, is unavailable at this time.

Grasses

I often walk across Ham Lands from Croft Way towards Teddington Lock and on this occasion the talk grasses were so captivating that I had to stop and take a picture of them.

Box fence

The box-like extension in Headway Close now has, appropriately, a box-like fence behind it. Horizontal boards are unusual (but not unique) and they give the fence an appealing modern look, though the brick wall that was there previously looked better.

Barriers moved

The saga of the barriers at the BMX track by Teddington Lock may be coming to an end, and with the correct solution.

The barriers were intended to protect the path but were erected next to the BMX track, and away from the path, which caused annoyance for the track users. The moved barriers are now alongside the path, where they should be.

The movement of the barriers has reinstated the long run-up to the jumps and hopefully the users of the tracks and of the path will be happy.

Refurbishment spreads along Meadlands Drive

It may just be a coincidence but another two houses in the terrace at the east end of Meadlands Drive, facing Russell School,  is being refurbished, and in a similar style. This could be one neighbour copying another or, given the shambolic and fraudulent way Thatcher sold off social housing, it could also be that these are now owned by one private landlord. 

That is all political speculation and my main interest is in the appearance of the area. I am not a great fan of grey windows but they are not the problem here, the new porch is.

Changes at Meadlands

Building works have started at Meadlands Schools in Broughton Avenue with the demolition of the block at the south end of the large site. It will not be particularly missed as it was a more recent addition to the charming period building that is the main part of the school.

A marked improvement

This is the side entrance to the extensive grounds at Cassel Hospital from Upper Ham Road where somebody has been busy painting the fence and moving one of the planters.

I last took a photo of this area in 2018 when the ground in front of the fence had been cleared but the fence and gates looked very old and worn. The painting makes the area look much fresher and brighter.