The face of The Cottage

While most of the work on The Cottage (facing north onto the Common) has been at the back and the side, the frontage is getting a refresh too. The works look to be nearly completed and I am looking forward to seeing the finished article.

Meadlands colour

It has been quite a while since I regularly walked my boys to The Russell School along Meadlands Drive (or through The Copse) and it is nice to revisit it for those memories and for gardens like this one.

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Battered box

I was intrigued by the work going on on Ham Parade over a couple of days and very unimpressed in the result. The box is ugly, blocks a lot of the pavement and is battered. 

After all the efforts Ham Parade Market have done in recent years to improve Ham Parade and boost its appeal this is a big step backwards.

Keep The Passageway Clear

It could be argued that a polite request would be better than an instruction but I am more interested in why there is a sign there at all as this short path off Murray Road goes nowhere.

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Lovely shrubs

Just as Dysart Avenue, Kingston joins Burnell Avenue, Richmond, there is this delightful garden showing what can be done without a lawn or traditional flower beds.

Riverside trees

Landscaping is one of the defining features of Ham and these trees alongside Riverside Drive are a good example of that. It is always a pleasure to walk along here.

Little Orchard wall

I think the entrance to Bute Avenue looked better when Little Orchard had bushes in front of its boundary wall and my admiration for the new wall is tainted by that comparison. It is a nice characterful wall with uneven bricks and two slight turns both of which help to soften the impact. It is just a shame that the hedges have gone.

A good compromise

While many home owners make way for their cars by covering the whole of their front garden with a hard surface, this house in Dysart Avenue shows a better way to do things. 

The parking area is limited in size, is an interesting shape and is flanked by good planting. The small fences at the front and the path to the door are nice too.

Getting there slowly

Progress at 23 Ham Farm Road has been so slow that it has been a year since I lasted posted an update but finally there is some news with the removal of the hoardings giving a first look at the modified house. 

The obvious changes include the rear extension, new roof with a window and a new garage. There are other changes too, such as the new white (not grey) windows on the first floor. The rest will be revealed whenever the project finishes.

Just Sudbrook Lane

I was rather surprised when, in 2023, this bus stop got renamed to the long-winded "Sudbrook Lane / the Russell School" and so it is less of a surprise to see it simplified to just "Sudbrook Lane".

Russell Gardens garden

Russell Gardens is a no-through-road that you only walk down if you live there or are exploring. I was exploring and I found these flowers in a neat garden.

Turkish Charcoal Grill

Great Fish & Chips has been on Ham Parade for a little over ten years and has changed appearance a few times. In the latest change, the sign says that they are adding Turkish Charcoal Grill to their menu and the colour scheme has gone from dark blue to turquoise.

Replaced bollard

I am quite amused by the ongoing battle between Richmond Council and bad motorists over the entrance to the small area of parking on the approach to Great South Avenue. In the latest episode the middle of the three concrete posts has been replaced by the Council after some spectacularly bad driving demolished it.

Tall planter

The Fox and Duck used to have several low planters across the front and these have been replaced by a single tall one. While these lift the planting almost out of sight for anyone sitting there they also provide an effective screen against the busy road and any awkward wind.

Autumn colours

Not my first picture of Langham House in its autumn colours and it probably will not be the last either.

Abundance of flowers

Randle Road is a short dead-end road so most people do not have an excuse to walk down it which is a shame because that is where this lovely garden is.

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This is the second time that this car has been caught parked badly on Ham Parade; here's the first.